State Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, widened his criticism of Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst this afternoon over what he said was a late-night ambush by Dewhurst that killed his so-called airport groping bill.

The bill would have made it a crime for security screeners to grope or touch anyone’s genital or private areas during security screening.

Patrick withdrew House Bill 1937 from Senate consideration late Tuesday after he lost the votes necessary to debate and pass it — a withering of support that he blamed on Dewhurst, who denied it. The federal government had told lawmakers Tuesday that the bill would conflict with federal law.

“Someone who will not stand up to the federal government, you have to ask yourself, is that the kind of person we need in the U.S. Senate?” Patrick said this afternoon, saying the bill is dead.