House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler called today's vote to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress "a very grave and momentous step."

He went on to say the committee had no other choice but to take this action.

"This was a very grave and momentous step we were forced to take today to move a contempt citation against the attorney general of the United States. We did not relish doing this but we have no choice. Attorney General Barr having proved himself to be the personal attorney to President Trump rather than to the United States by misleading the public as to the contents of the Mueller report twice, by not being truthful with Congress has not shown himself to be the personal attorney of the United States rather than the attorney general," Nadler said.

The Democratic congressman accused Barr of turning the Department of Justice "into an instrument of Trump personally rather than an instrument of justice and representative of the United States."

"We are now in a constitutional crisis," Nadler declared.