Rising to chairman of the House Judiciary Committee after more than a quarter-century in Congress, New York’s Rep. Jerry Nadler is finally enjoying his moment in the spotlight — by turning the committee into a circus.

On Thursday, Nadler chaired a mock hearing, complete with an empty chair for Attorney General William Barr, who he knew wouldn’t show up.

Playing to the TV cameras, one committee Democrat placed a fake chicken on the chair — and, for good measure, brought a bucket of fried chicken.

The point: “Chicken” Barr was afraid to show his face and testify about his summary of the Mueller report. Never mind that he’d faced a Senate committee the day before, or that the idea of Bill Barr being afraid of Jerry Nadler is just ludicrous.

The reason Barr refused to show is that Nadler demanded that he face questioning from staff lawyers. The AG was perfectly right to object: There’s no precedent for non-members quizzing a cabinet official in a public Judiciary hearing.

Nadler knew full well Barr would refuse to play the patsy in what would’ve been a mock trial. As the committee’s top Republican, Doug Collins said, the only reason Barr wasn’t there is that “Democrats decided they didn’t want him here.”

Besides, the Judiciary Committee is packed with lawyers, including Nadler. Does the chairman think they’re just not competent to question the AG?

Playing out the show, Nadler went fully over the top, threatening Barr with contempt or impeachment and warning that our “very system of government . . . is at stake.” Please.

Don’t be misled: The Mueller report was a dud, but Democrats don’t dare admit it — nor pay the political price they’d incur if they went for impeachment anyway. So they’ve created a distraction — a phony scandal centered on Barr.

If anyone’s showing contempt for our “very system of government,” it’s Jerry Nadler and his crew.