Ex-Democratic Senator Admits Affair with Former Bodyguard in Court Filing

Former Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema has admitted to having an affair with her former bodyguard while serving in office, according to court documents filed in North Carolina. The admission came as part of Sinema’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed against her by the bodyguard’s estranged wife.

The legal filing reveals that Sinema acknowledged a relationship with Matthew Ammel, who served as her bodyguard during her Senate tenure from 2019 to 2025. The lawsuit, classified as an “alienation of affection” claim, was filed by Ammel’s wife in North Carolina—one of just six states that still recognize such legal actions.

In the complaint, Ammel’s estranged wife accused Sinema of “intentional and malicious interference” in their marriage and sought $25,000 in damages for allegedly “willful and wanton” conduct. The lawsuit claims Sinema’s actions directly contributed to the breakdown of the marriage.

Rather than disputing the affair, Sinema’s motion to dismiss argues the case should be dropped on jurisdictional grounds. Her legal team contends that all communications between her and Ammel occurred “exclusively outside” North Carolina’s boundaries, making the state an improper venue for the case.

Court documents describe the relationship between Sinema and Ammel as both “romantic and intimate,” beginning in May 2024 in Sonoma, California. The affair reportedly involved months of phone calls, emails, and Signal messages, alongside romantic encounters across various U.S. cities.

The filings include details of personal exchanges between Sinema and Ammel. In one Signal message sent in June 2024 from Scottsdale and received by Ammel in Kansas, Sinema wrote: “I keep waking up during my sleep and reaching over for your arms to hold me.”

Another Signal exchange was allegedly interrupted by Ammel’s estranged wife, who confronted Sinema directly: “Are you having an affair with my husband? You took a married man away from his family.”

North Carolina’s “alienation of affection” laws present a high legal burden for plaintiffs. To succeed in such a lawsuit, the plaintiff must prove three key elements: that the marriage had genuine affection before third-party involvement; that this love and affection was destroyed or significantly diminished; and that the defendant directly caused the destruction of the marital relationship.

Sinema, who left the Democratic Party in 2022 to become an independent, chose not to seek reelection in 2024. Her political career has been marked by controversy, particularly her opposition to eliminating the Senate filibuster and resistance to certain Democratic policy priorities during her time in office.

The case highlights the unusual persistence of “alienation of affection” laws, which have been abolished in most states but remain on the books in North Carolina, Hawaii, Mississippi, New Mexico, South Dakota, and Utah. Critics argue these laws are outdated relics that treat spouses as property, while supporters maintain they help protect the institution of marriage.

Legal experts note that even in states that maintain these laws, successful cases are increasingly rare. Courts typically require substantial evidence that the third party knowingly and deliberately interfered with a marriage that would have otherwise remained intact.

Fox News Digital reached out to Sinema for comment on the case, but no response was reported at the time of publication. The court has not yet ruled on Sinema’s motion to dismiss.