The phrase 'escalating criticism' is correct and usable in written English
You can use it when describing a situation in which criticism is steadily intensifying. For example, you could say: The politician's scandal sparked intense and escalating criticism from the public.
Iran's current supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, succeeded Khomeini instead and has been the target of escalating criticism by Iran's opposition movement since June's disputed presidential vote.
At the time, reviewing that speech, I noted the rhetorical technique: "By escalating criticism, he knocked down a straw man, the oldest speechifying trick in the book".
Ms. Pelosi moved quickly this week to deal with escalating criticism surrounding Mr. Rangel, who was admonished by the House ethics committee for accepting corporate-sponsored trips to the Caribbean.
In recent days, with the resolution set to pass, North Korea characterized the sanctions as part of an "act of war" in its escalating criticism of the United States and its allies.
With the national outrage over the administration's failure in responding to Hurricane Katrina, there could be no better way to divert the escalating criticism than to keep Congress busy with the confirmation process.
Facing escalating criticism for the narrow religious exemption in regulations that require employers to offer free contraception coverage to employees, President Obama last month proposed an "accommodation" that would significantly broaden the exemption for faith-based institutions.
Mr. Huckabee said he was escalating his criticism in part because of Mr. Romney's recent disparagements of a third Republican rival, Senator John McCain of Arizona, whom Mr. Huckabee called "an American hero".
The government's willingness to at least promise a new and more rigorous investigation into what happened to the Ayotzinapa case, with direct participation of the group of experts from the Inter-American Commission, comes at a time of escalating international criticism over its general human rights record.
Professor Horowitz only escalated his criticism, calling Mills "a bigot".
And his Republican rivals have escalated their criticism.
This year he has escalated his criticism of the deficits, which are expected this year and for the foreseeable future.
