A Kentucky man accused of attacking U.S. Republican Senator Rand Paul has been charged with assaulting a member of Congress, but has told investigators his actions were not politically motivated.

Officials say Rene Boucher plans to plead guilty to the assault as part of a federal plea agreement.

Boucher's attorney says the attack stemmed from a dispute about yard maintenance. He said Boucher became angered by branches and yard clutter that were on the property line and “had enough” after seeing Paul stack more brush on the pile.

Paul was wearing headphones while mowing his yard in Bowling Green, Kentucky, when Boucher ran into his yard in November and tackled him. The assault left Rand with six broken ribs and briefly sidelined him during the Senate debate over tax reform. Assaulting a member of Congress and causing injury is a federal felony.

被控毆打共和黨籍聯邦參議員保羅的肯塔基州男子被正式指控，罪名是攻擊聯邦議員。但是這名男子對調查人員說，他的行為沒有政治動機。

有關官員說，布切爾打算和聯邦法院達成辯訴交易，準備承認犯有攻擊罪。

布切爾的律師說，攻擊事件的起因是院落園藝維護。他說，與布切爾為鄰的保羅參議員在兩家房產交界處堆放了樹枝和雜物，布切爾看到保羅參議員繼續堆放更多的雜物，感到“受夠了”。

保羅參議員去年11月在肯塔基州的住宅帶著耳機在院子里割草，布切爾沖到他的院內，與他發生了肢體沖突。保羅參議員6根肋骨被打斷，一度不得不缺席參議院有關稅法改革的辯論。在美國，毆打聯邦議員并造成傷害是聯邦重罪。