Barr argues coronavirus lockdowns are the biggest violation of civil liberties 'other than slavery'

Attorney General William Barr seems to think public health precautions are akin to one of the greatest mass atrocities America has ever committed.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many states and cities implemented stay-at-home orders requiring people to remain inside except for work and other essential activities. Studies showed those orders prevented explosions of COVID-19 cases and likely saved thousands of lives, but to Barr, they verged on unconstitutional.

During a Wednesday talk at Hillsdale College's "Constitution Day" celebration, Barr posited that "putting a national lockdown, stay-at-home orders, [are] like house arrest." "Other than slavery ... this is the greatest intrusion on civil liberties in American history," Barr continued.

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Barr's comments drew a ton of criticism, including from short-lived White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci, who called it another example of how Barr has continually toyed with "radical right-wing nonsense" under President Trump. Kathryn Krawczyk