Sen. Rand Paul, Kentucky Republican, was assaulted at his home in Bowling Green, Ky., his office confirmed Saturday.
The incident happened Friday afternoon, Mr. Paul’s office said in a statement, and a suspect has been taken into custody, according to local law enforcement.
“Senator Paul was blindsided and the victim of an assault,” said Kelsey Cooper, a spokeswoman for the senator. “The assailant was arrested and it is now a matter for the police.”
“Senator Paul is fine,” the spokeswoman said.
Kentucky State Police responded to a call at 3:21 p.m. Friday concerning an incident at the Paul residence, authorities said in a news release cited by CBS News.
Rene Boucher, 59, was arrested shortly afterwards and charged with 4th degree assault, a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to 12 months in jail, the news release said.
The suspect “intentionally assaulted Paul causing a minor injury,” the news release said.
“We have not been told what those minor injuries are, but troopers say Senator Paul was not transported to the hospital,” Trooper Jeremy Hodges, a public affairs officer for state police, told Bowling Green’s WBKO.
Warren County Regional Jail records list the suspect under a similarly spelled name, Rene Alan Bousher. He was being held in custody in lieu of a $5,000 bond as of Saturday afternoon, according to the jail’s website. His next court date has been set for November 9, the website said.
Property records listed an addressed for the suspected located close to Mr. Paul’s residence, the Bowling Green Daily News reported.
An investigation is ongoing, police said.
The FBI is involved in the matter and determining whether the incident was politically motivated, Trooper Hodges official told WBKO.
The suspect was an acquaintance of the senator, WBKO reported, citing state police.
Mr. Paul, 54, has served as Kentucky’s junior senator since 2011 and unsuccessfully sought the Republican Party’s nomination for president during last year’s presidential election. He is the son of Ron Paul, a former Texas congressman and fellow former White House hopeful.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.