PHOENIX (AP) — Former U.S. Sen. Kirsten Sinema’s romantic relationship with one of her security guards led to the collapse of the man’s marriage, his ex-wife claims in a lawsuit seeking at least $75,000 in damages from Sinema.
Heather Amell said in the lawsuit that before Sinema intervened, Matthew and Heather had a “beautiful and loving marriage” with “genuine love and affection” and that he pursued Matthew Amell even though he knew she was married.
The lawsuit alleges that the Arizona congressman’s security director hired Matthew Ammel after she retired from the military in 2022 and accompanied her to destinations including Napa Valley, California; Las Vegas and Saudi Arabia.
In early 2024, Ammel’s wife discovered that he had exchanged “romantic and lascivious” messages with Sinema via the Signal messaging app. That summer, when he stopped wearing his wedding ring, Sinema gave him a job as a national security researcher in a Senate office while he continued working for her campaign as a bodyguard, the lawsuit says.
Sinema also paid for psychedelic therapy for Amer, who has struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse and traumatic brain injuries related to his military deployments in Afghanistan and the Middle East, the lawsuit said.
Sinema and her attorney did not respond to requests for comment.
The lawsuit was filed quietly late last year in Moore County, North Carolina. This week, the case was transferred to federal court, attracting global attention.
North Carolina is one of the few states that allows a jilted spouse to sue for “alienation of affection” to seek damages from a third party who caused the breakdown of the marriage.
Sinema is leaving Congress after the 2024 elections. She declined to seek re-election to the Senate, ending a tumultuous single term in which she alienated liberals and left the Democratic Party to become an independent.
She now works for Hogan Lovells, a Washington-based legal and lobbying firm. She lobbied for data center development and research funding for the psychedelic drug ibogaine.
