ChristiePaul.jpg

(NJ Advance Media/AP file photos)

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Offering his harshest criticism yet of U.S. Sen. Rand Paul over their differing views of the Patriot Act, Gov. Chris Christie called the presidential hopeful's actions on the issue "a disgrace."

The governor, speaking to Iowa voters at a Cedar Rapids town hall meeting, signaled he's not letting up on attacking Paul for his hand in blocking the extension of the Patriot Act over concerns of the government collecting millions of Americans' phone records.

Christie, without calling the Kentucky senator out by name, assailed the lawmaker for his filibuster on a Patriot Act extension.

"The president's first job has to be to protect the lives of American citizens and yet you have folks, some of whom are running for president, who stood on the floor of the United States Senate and weakened our country, and then sent videos of it to raise money and brag about how much money they raised from it," he said. "To me, that's a disgrace."

MORE:

Christie says Rand Paul's actions on Patriot Act are 'a disgrace'

The comment was Christie's latest attack on Paul as he courts Republicans in conservative corners of the country ahead of a likely presidential campaign.

Earlier this month, Christie accused Paul of "grandstanding" when he held a similar town hall event in South Carolina.

"Senator Paul is wrong. He is wrong," Christie asserted.

"You can protect civil liberties and they have been protected over the last 12-and-a-half years," he said. "We need to protect the homeland first and foremost and this debate in Washington D.C. is one ... that is making America weaker."

Christie didn't hold back as he courted voters in South Carolina, home to the country's first presidential primary in the South.

"You know what Congress should be doing instead of debating this? Performing their oversight function," Christie said. "If the law is being broken by our intelligence communities then perform your oversight function rather than grandstand on the floor of the United States Senate and giving big long speeches. How about doing your job?"

2016 Republican presidential field: Who's in and who's out 22 Gallery: 2016 Republican presidential field: Who's in and who's out

MORE POLITICS

Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.