Former US Senator Kyrsten Sinema Admits to Relationship with Married Security Guard
Kyrsten Sinema, the former US senator from Arizona, has acknowledged in court filings that she engaged in a "romantic and intimate" relationship with a married man who served on her security detail during her final year in office. The admission was made in response to a lawsuit filed by Heather Ammel, the estranged wife of the guard, Matthew Joseph Ammel, under North Carolina's so-called "homewrecker" law.
Legal Battle Over Multi-State Affair
In documents filed on March 12, Sinema requested a federal judge to dismiss the case, arguing that she has no connection to North Carolina, where Matthew resided with his family. She stated that the physical intimacy occurred in four states and Washington DC, but never in North Carolina. Sinema emphasized that 100% of her phone and email communications with Matthew between early 2023 and November 1, 2024, took place when he was outside North Carolina, primarily related to his security duties involving frequent travel.
Sinema claimed she was unaware Matthew lived in North Carolina with his family until December 2023, over a year after he began working for her. She detailed six encounters where she was "physically intimate" with Matthew, starting in Sonoma, California, in late May 2024, following her announcement not to seek re-election. Additional encounters occurred in New York, Washington DC, Aspen, Colorado, and Phoenix, Arizona.
Allegations and Denials in the Lawsuit
Heather Ammel's lawsuit alleges that Sinema deliberately interfered in her "good and loving marriage," pursuing Matthew despite knowing he was married. Heather discovered messages between her husband and Sinema that she described as "romantic and lascivious," including a photo of the then-senator wrapped in a towel. The lawsuit also accuses Sinema of paying for psychedelic treatment for Matthew, a US army veteran dealing with post-traumatic stress, substance abuse, and traumatic brain injuries.
Sinema denies sending a towel-wrapped photo and has "no recollection" of suggesting Matthew bring MDMA drugs on a work trip for a psychedelic experience. Campaign finance documents reveal Matthew received nearly $9,000 in October from Sinema's old campaign committee, with other unusual expenditures including hotels in Saudi Arabia, wine, and gifts from Taylor Swift's store.
Campaign Finance and Post-Senate Activities
A February complaint by a campaign watchdog group accuses Sinema of improperly using political funds for personal expenses, noting her campaign committee continued paying Matthew after she left office in January 2025. Federal Election Commission records show the committee, now terminated, paid Matthew over $100,000 between January and October 2025.
In her motion to dismiss, Sinema mentioned joining the Ammel family at a Taylor Swift concert in Miami in October, with the Ammels staying in separate hotel rooms. Days later, Matthew accompanied Sinema on a work trip to Saudi Arabia, after which the couple separated and he moved out of their North Carolina home.
Legal Context and Political Background
North Carolina is one of the few US states where spouses can sue a third party for alienation of affection due to an affair. Sinema argues the lawsuit should be dropped because the affair occurred "exclusively outside" North Carolina. The case has refocused attention on Sinema, a Democrat-turned-independent who served one Senate term after flipping her seat in 2018 in a competitive state. Known as a bipartisan deal-maker, she frustrated Democrats by blocking key legislative priorities during Joe Biden's presidency.
Since leaving the Senate, Sinema has worked as a senior adviser at Hogan Lovells, focusing on cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence, and has advocated for psychedelic medicine, sharing her experience with ibogaine treatment for dementia prevention. Recently, she announced she would join the conservative Washington Reporter as a columnist, offering insights into policy debates.
