After voting to hold Attorney General William Barr Bill BarrHarris faces pivotal moment with Supreme Court battle Hillicon Valley: DOJ proposes tech liability shield reform to Congress | Treasury sanctions individuals, groups tied to Russian malign influence activities | House Republican introduces bill to set standards for self-driving cars McCarthy threatens motion to oust Pelosi if she moves forward with impeachment MORE in contempt of Congress Wednesday, House Judiciary Chair Jerrold Nadler Jerrold (Jerry) Lewis NadlerDemocrats shoot down talk of expanding Supreme Court Schumer: 'Nothing is off the table' if GOP moves forward with Ginsburg replacement Top Democrats call for DOJ watchdog to probe Barr over possible 2020 election influence MORE (D-N.Y.) declared that the nation is in a "constitutional crisis" as the Trump administration digs in against Democrats' attempts at congressional oversight.

"We’ve talked for a long time about approaching a Constitutional crisis. We are now in it,” Nadler said in an afternoon press conference.

"Now is the time of testing whether we can keep a republic, or whether this republic is destined to change into a different, more tyrannical form of government," he added "We must resist this."

NADLER: "We've talked for a long time about approaching a constitutional crisis. We're now in it... Now is the time of testing whether we can keep a republic, or whether this republic is destined to change into a different, more tyrannical form of govt. We must resist this." pic.twitter.com/8GB24XUxq7 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 8, 2019

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Nadler's Judiciary panel voted to hold Barr in contempt for failing to produce an un-redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller Robert (Bob) MuellerCNN's Toobin warns McCabe is in 'perilous condition' with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill's 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE's report and its underlying evidence. The vote came the same day that President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE moved to exert executive privilege over the report, which was released in redacted form last month.

Nadler's statements echo similar comments he made Wednesday morning before the House panel voted.

"The phrase constitutional crisis has been overused, but certainly," he said Wednesday morning, according to CNN. "Certainly, it's a constitutional crisis, although I don't like to use that phrase because it's been used for far less dangerous situations."

"We are in one because the president is disobeying the law, is refusing all information to Congress," he added.