Ryan Lizza called his former fiancee Olivia Nuzzi a "shameless liar" after she withdrew a protective order against him on Friday rather than seeking to renew it.

Nuzzi had accused Lizza, a writer for New York Magazine's digital content, of blackmailing her over a secret relationship with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., using information from her cell phone, which she claimed he hacked. The order against him was granted on October 1, but has now been dismissed.

“Olivia lied to me for almost a year. She lied to her editors. She lied to her readers. She lied to her colleagues. She lied to reporters. And she lied to the judge in the case. I said I would defend myself against her lies vigorously and successfully and I am fully prepared to do so. But for now, I’m pleased this matter is closed,” Lizza said.

He also told the New York Post, “Olivia shamelessly used litigation with false and defamatory allegations as a public relations strategy. When required to do so, she refused to defend her claims in court last month."

Nuzzi's lawyer Ari Wilkenfeld said that she withdrew the order because of safety concerns that stemmed from the legal proceedings. He added that Nuzzi would benefit from “disengaging from this process."

The pair broke off their engagement in August when Lizza discovered Nuzzi was having an affair with Kennedy and had been for a year.

Kennedy is married to actress Cheryl Hines, but the two may be separated in the wake of the affair becoming public.

Hines was seen in public not wearing her wedding ring in recent days, prompting rumors of a split.

"Tearful and desperate"

Lizza claimed that Kennedy, 70, broke off the relationship with Nuzzi, 31, and that she was tearful and desperate in trying to get him back.

Lizza was put on leave from Politico's Playbook after the protective order was granted.

Nuzzi was also put on leave from her position, and was permanently dismissed last month. The magazine claims there was no bias toward Kennedy or any other candidate in the run-up to the election.

Kennedy was an independent candidate until he withdrew and joined up with Donald Trump, campaigning for him and offering to join his cabinet.

The scandal did not seem to hurt Kennedy much, nor did it hurt Trump, who won by a wide enough margin to squash any questions of legitimacy.

Kennedy would like to be the HHS secretary or have some other position related to health care in the Trump administration