Attorney General William Barr called the restrictions intended to slow the spread of coronavirus “draconian” and said they should be re-examined next month.
Government officials, Barr said on Fox News Wednesday evening, should be careful to ensure “that the draconian measures that are being adopted are fully justified, and there are not alternative ways of protecting people.”
“I think, you know, when this period of time at the end of April expires, I think we have to allow people to adapt more than we have and not just tell people to go home and hide under the bed, but allow them to use other ways of social distancing and other means to protect themselves,” Barr told Laura Ingraham.
The Trump administration recommended a number of guidelines including that people not gather in groups of 10 or more, cut out non-essential travel and refrain from going to bars and restaurants last month and expanded them until the end of April.
A majority of the states have also imposed similar guidelines.
The attorney general also said the Justice Department would keep an eye on any measures used to track the spread of coronavirus to determine if they “restrict people’s liberty.”
“I’m very concerned about the slippery slope in terms of continuing encroachments on personal liberty,” he said. “I do think during the emergency, appropriate, reasonable steps are fine.”
As of Thursday morning, the US has more than 430,000 coronavirus cases and the death toll is approaching 15,000.
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