Rene Boucher, the man who authorities say assaulted Sen. Rand Paul (R., Ky.) and broke six of his ribs, pleaded not guilty Thursday to misdemeanor assault in the fourth degree.
The reason for the assault remains unclear. Boucher's attorney initially said the dispute was over something more people would find "trivial." He later told CNN's Drew Griffin that we "should believe" a neighbor of Boucher and Paul's who said the assault was prompted by "quibbling" over yard waste.
Boucher's attorney also said it had "nothing to do with either's politics or political agendas."
Boucher is a Democrat, and Jim Bullington, a former member of the city commission who knows both men, described him as a "socialist," according to the Washington Post.
The senator raised questions Wednesday about the motive being about yard waste when he retweeted a Washington Examiner article quoting neighbors who cast doubt on that version of events. The neighbors said Paul was a considerate neighbor.