Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., on Tuesday called a government watchdog's visit to Maine in January "inappropriate."

Lautenberg questioned Stuart Bowen, the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on Iraq reconstruction projects, about his visit to Maine from Jan. 2 through Jan. 4.

To view his testimony, click here.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, accompanied Bowen to Maine. He delivered a speech at Husson College and participated in an editorial board meeting with this newspaper.

During the editorial board meeting, Bowen praised Collins' record of government oversight as chairwoman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

His comments were noticed by a State Department official, who subsequently told The Washington Post that, "This is the kind of thing we're taught not to do."

Lautenberg asked Bowen if he had consulted State Department lawyers about his visit to Maine.

Bowen said he did not, adding that he often travels to discuss his work and that he was invited by Husson College and the Portland Press Herald to appear for an editorial board meeting.

But John Porter, the newspaper's opinion editor, said Jen Burita, Collins' spokeswoman, informed him that Collins and Bowen would be in Portland and asked if the newspaper would like to meet with them.

Porter accepted the invitation.

"That's how these things always happen," Porter said, adding that Maine's congressional delegation has standing invitation to appear at an editorial board meeting.

Lautenberg is a fierce critic of Congress' oversight record on contracting in Iraq and he has singled out Collins. He wrote nine letters to Collins asking her to hold hearings on Halliburton and other civilian contractors in Iraq. She held one hearing in 2006.

Collins has said hearings would have duplicated ongoing investigations by Congressional committees and governmental agencies.

Lautenberg has endorsed Rep. Tom Allen in his bid to deny Collins a third term.

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