U.S. District Judge David A. Bragdon rejected that claim and ruled that nine text messages sent to Matthew Ammel, her bodyguard, while he was in the state establish North Carolina’s jurisdiction over her. He called it implausible that she was unaware of Ammel’s whereabouts when texting him.
Steven Epstein, Sinema’s attorney, did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
Sinema has acknowledged having a romantic relationship with Matthew Ammel but argued that she can’t be sued in North Carolina because she has no connection to the state (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
The legal action, brought by Ammel’s ex-wife, seeks financial compensation from Sinema, who represented Arizona in the U.S. House and later completed a single term in the Senate early last year.
North Carolina is among a small number of states allowing jilted spouses to bring suits for “alienation of affection” to obtain damages from a third party deemed responsible for a broken marriage.
Matthew and Heather Ammel maintained “a good and loving marriage” with “genuine love and affection” prior to Sinema’s interference, pursuing Matthew Ammel despite knowing he was married, Heather Ammel alleges in her lawsuit.
Matthew Ammel joined Sinema’s security team after retiring from the Army in 2022 and accompanied her on domestic and foreign travel, the complaint states.
In early 2024, Heather Ammel discovered “romantic and lascivious” messages exchanged between her husband and Sinema on the Signal messaging app. By that summer, he stopped wearing his wedding ring, and Sinema appointed him as a national security fellow in her Senate office as he continued working as a campaign bodyguard, the lawsuit states.
During a deposition in July, Sinema described their sexual encounters, testifying the relationship became sexual on May 27, 2024, during a trip to Napa, California. She stated they later had encounters in New York, Washington, Colorado and Arizona, but never North Carolina.
Matthew and Heather Ammel separated on Nov. 1, 2024.
Sinema fucking sucks but this seems like an incredibly stupid law. Why would she be responsible for this other guy’s behavior? Even if she enabled it, it was his decision to cheat.
She’s being sued because while working for her they had sex. And then, like it always does, the affair came out.
That said the basis that allows the suit in NC is that she sent a few texts while he was there- neither Sinema nor the guy lives in NC. (And presumably? Neither does the guys ex wife.)
So there’s a good chance it’s a money grab or vindictiveness or something.
Most of these laws were written by dirty old men who want to pretend it’s not their fault they cheated on their wives with younger women.
I hold an opposing view: the person in the relationship is the one with the responsibility to abide by whatever rules that relationship has. A third party knowingly participating in cheating is also being a jerk, but at a much lower level.
Sinema fucking sucks but this seems like an incredibly stupid law. Why would she be responsible for this other guy’s behavior? Even if she enabled it, it was his decision to cheat.
Seems like a weird law to me too.
I don’t usually like the government involved in things like this.
Don’t know about this law, but didn’t he work for her?
She’s being sued because while working for her they had sex. And then, like it always does, the affair came out.
That said the basis that allows the suit in NC is that she sent a few texts while he was there- neither Sinema nor the guy lives in NC. (And presumably? Neither does the guys ex wife.)
So there’s a good chance it’s a money grab or vindictiveness or something.
Fair point but it doesn’t sound like that’s why she’s being sued.
Most of these laws were written by dirty old men who want to pretend it’s not their fault they cheated on their wives with younger women.
I hold an opposing view: the person in the relationship is the one with the responsibility to abide by whatever rules that relationship has. A third party knowingly participating in cheating is also being a jerk, but at a much lower level.