A U.S. District Judge has ruled that former U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema can be sued under North Carolina's "alienation of affection" law, which allows a spouse to seek financial damages from a third party they claim caused the breakdown of their marriage. The ruling was made by U.S. District Judge David A. Bragdon on Friday. Sinema, who previously represented Arizona in the U.S. House and Senate, has acknowledged a romantic relationship with Matthew Ammel, a former Army soldier who later joined her security team. However, she argued she should not be subject to a North Carolina lawsuit because she has no connection to the state. Judge Bragdon rejected Sinema’s argument, stating that nine text messages she sent to Ammel while he was in North Carolina provide the state with legal jurisdiction over her. The judge noted it was unlikely she was unaware of Ammel’s location when she sent the messages. Sinema’s lawyer, Steven Epstein, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The lawsuit was filed by Heather Ammel, Matthew’s ex-wife, who claims Sinema interfered in their marriage by pursuing Matthew despite his marital status. North Carolina is one of a few U.S. states that permit "alienation of affection" lawsuits, which allow a spouse to seek compensation from a third party they believe caused the end of their marriage. According to Heather Ammel’s lawsuit, Matthew and Heather had a "good and loving marriage" filled with "genuine love and affection" before Sinema allegedly interfered. The lawsuit claims that Matthew joined Sinema’s security team after retiring from the Army in 2022 and traveled with her both domestically and internationally. In early 2024, Heather Ammel discovered "romantic and lascivious" messages exchanged between her husband and Sinema through the Signal messaging app. Later that year, Matthew stopped wearing his wedding ring, and Sinema reportedly gave him a job as a national security fellow in her Senate office while he continued working as her bodyguard. During a deposition in July, Sinema described the timeline of their relationship, stating it became sexual on May 27, 2024, during a trip to Napa, California. She mentioned subsequent encounters in New York, Washington, Colorado, and Arizona, but not in North Carolina. Matthew and Heather Ammel officially separated on November 1, 2024.