GOP lawmaker after shutdown: ‘It’s easy to understand’ why Rand Paul’s neighbor was so annoyed

Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.) said on Friday that he could understand why Sen. Rand Paul’s (R-Ky.) neighbor, who attacked him last year, was annoyed with him after Paul blocked a deal from keeping the government open on Thursday. 

“When Rand Paul pulls a stunt like this, it easy to understand why it’s difficult to be Rand Paul’s next door neighbor,” Dent told Politico. “The whole delay and filibuster exercise on the budget agreement is utterly pointless.”

The congressman was referring to an incident last year in which Paul’s neighbor, Rene Boucher, attacked Paul, breaking multiple ribs, in a landscaping dispute.

Boucher pleaded not guilty to a fourth-degree assault charge and faces up to a year in jail if convicted.

{mosads}The House on Friday morning approved a budget deal that would fund the government through March 23, sending legislation to President Trump that would end a brief shutdown of the government that began at midnight after Paul blocked action in the Senate on Thursday. Paul was demanding an amendment that would leave previous ceilings on federal spending in place.

“What you’re seeing is recklessness trying to be passed off as bipartisanship,” Paul said in a speech on the Senate floor. 

Paul used Senate rules to delay a vote in the Senate until early Friday morning.