Eric Holder defends former top Obama official representing companies in child slavery lawsuit

close

Video

Matt Whitaker: Eric Holder is 'highly partisan,' 'protected Obama'

Matt Whitaker, former Acting Attorney General, comments on Eric Holder's op-ed where he criticized AG Barr over his relationship with President Trump

Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder defended former top Obama official Neal Katyal, who is currently representing companies in a child slavery lawsuit, in an op-ed published Tuesday.

The former acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal, a Georgetown law professor and staunch critic of President Trump, is representing Nestle and Cargill in a lawsuit accusing the two companies of aiding and abetting child slavery in Cargill, Inc. v. Doe and Nestle USA, Inc. v. Doe.

"There is an increasing and disturbing trend of criticizing lawyers for the clients they represent and for advancing arguments that are well within the bounds of zealous advocacy. Former acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal is the latest such target," Holder wrote in his op-ed published on Law.com.

 In this April 18, 2013 file photo, Attorney General Eric Holder testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington.  (AP Photo/Molly Riley, File)

The lawsuits were filed on behalf of "six former child slaves trafficked from Mali to work on Ivorian cocoa farms," who say Nestle and Cargill were aware of alleged child slavery but brought them to plantations anyway.

FORMER TOP OBAMA OFFICIAL FACES BACKLASH FOR DEFENDING COMPANIES IN CHILD SLAVERY LAWSUIT

"Petitioners, two U.S. corporations, have long supported and maintained a system of child slavery and forced labor in the Ivory Coast. This is extremely profitable for Petitioners," the lawsuit states.

Holder cited Katyal's experience representing "alleged enemy combatants held in Guantanamo" as an example of another time the lawyer was "attacked from one side of the political spectrum."

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

In both the Nestle and Guantanamo cases, Holder argued, "the criticism is equally misguided."

"Katyal was neither defending the waging of war on America nor defending child slavery. Instead, he was ably advancing detailed and somewhat technical arguments about the scope of federal statutes. The idea that in doing so in this latest matter he was defending child slavery is simply wrong," Holder wrote.

TRUMP ASKS SUPREME COURT TO REVIEW WISCONSIN VOTER FRAUD CASE

Katyal has received criticism for defending Nestle and Cargill in court from the public on social media and tough questioning from Supreme Court justices.