Prosecutors have told Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) to expect federal charges to be filed against his longtime neighbor for his violent attack on Paul, sources told Fox News on Thursday.

The Saturday attack, which left Paul with six broken ribs, is believed to have been politically motivated, Fox says.

Shep reports: Multiple sources tell Fox that the Senator Rand Paul has been told to expect federal charges to be filed against his attacker.
The attack is believed to have been politically motivated. pic.twitter.com/gzcdVJkRZy

— Pat Ward (@WardDPatrick) November 9, 2017

Paul’s longtime neighbor, Rene Boucher, allegedly confronted the senator while he was mowing the front yard of his Bowling Green home.

An aide to the senator described the attack as a “blindside” and a “violent attack by a disturbed person,” disputing rumors that the assault resulted from an argument over landscaping.

{mosads}

While Paul has remained largely silent on the issue, he has pointed to reports questioning whether the outburst had been started over an issue with landscaping.

Another neighbor said the assault was simply a “neighbor to neighbor thing,” and that it “had very little to do with Democrat or Republican politics.” Boucher has pleaded not guilty to a fourth-degree assault charge.

It is currently unclear when Paul will return to the Senate. 

An attorney for Boucher told the Associated Press that attack was not politically motivated, but did not say what caused the assault. Boucher is a registered Democrat.