Politics can have its fair share of drama. But this is beyond the pale.
And now a U.S. Senator got taken to court as a “homewrecker.”
Scandal Erupts: Sinema Faces ‘Homewrecker’ Lawsuit
In a move that highlights the controversial personal life of former Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema, she’s now entangled in a lawsuit under North Carolina’s archaic “Homewrecker Law.”
This rare legal provision allows suits for “alienation of affection,” and the complaint accuses Sinema of “intentional and malicious interference” in what was described as a “good and loving marriage” between Heather and Matthew Ammel, who parted ways in November 2024. The case, originally filed in September 2025, has resurfaced amid scrutiny of Sinema’s post-Senate activities, painting a picture of a politician whose judgment raises serious questions.
Matthew Ammel joined Sinema’s security team back in 2022, but things took a troubling turn when her head of security reportedly resigned in fall 2023, citing concerns that the senator was “having s*xual relations with other security members.”
Despite advice to leave for his own well-being, Ammel stayed on for the paycheck. Sinema then allegedly brought him on as a Defense and National Security Fellow in her Senate office, all while he doubled as her “personal security guard.” This dual role, critics might argue, blurred professional boundaries in a way that invited disaster.
Allegations of Romantic Entanglements and Risky Behavior
The lawsuit pulls no punches, claiming Sinema engaged in “numerous lengthy conversations with Mr. Ammel” across various platforms—in person and via text—that veered into “emotionally romantic or s*xual in nature.”
Beyond words, the pair allegedly met outside work in settings that were “emotionally or physically romantic or s*xual in nature,” with Sinema reportedly “encouraging” Ammel to ditch his wife.
By spring or early summer 2024, Ammel had “stopped wearing his wedding ring,” supposedly to dodge bad “public optics” when the senator was “putting her hands on a married man when they were out at concerts and various other public events.” Such actions, if true, underscore a reckless disregard for ethics that could tarnish Sinema’s already polarizing legacy.
Further details reveal eyebrow-raising incidents, like Sinema allegedly appearing “wrapped in a towel” and urging Ammel to “bring MDMA drugs on a work trip so that she could guide him through a psychedelic experience” to help with his “mental health challenges.” As an Army veteran battling PTSD, Ammel’s vulnerability adds a layer of concern to these claims.
The plaintiff noticed excessive Signal messaging starting in 2024 that “exceeded the bounds of a normal working relationship.” One exchange had Sinema skipping the State of the Union because “she didn’t need to listen to some old man, President Biden, talk about the legislation that she wrote.”
Another involved Ammel joking about a “F*ck the troops” chant at a baseball game, to which Sinema replied that “she would ‘f*ck the hot ones.'” The duo’s outings included concerts like U2 and the Extra Innings Festival, where Ammel claimed Sinema got “handsy with him at this event.” The ex-wife is seeking damages “in excess of” $25,000 for the emotional wreckage.
Sinema’s Post-Senate Life Under the Microscope
Now practicing law at Hogan Lovells, Sinema has championed psychedelic research post-Senate, even citing Ammel’s experiences in a March interview with the Phoenix New Times: “I saw the difference it was making in his life, his thinking, and his behavior.”
But this advocacy now seems intertwined with the lawsuit’s darker allegations, prompting questions about whether her personal involvements influenced her professional pursuits.
Attempts to reach Sinema and Ammel for comment went unanswered, and records show a man named Matthew Ammel arrested in Moore County, North Carolina, for assault in November—though unconfirmed if it’s the same person. This saga serves as a cautionary tale about the perils of power, especially for a figure like Sinema whose independent streak often veered into self-serving territory.
