Democratic Rep. Cedric Richmond joked Wednesday night that White House counselor Kellyanne Conway “looked kind of familiar” in the photo of her kneeling on the couch in the Oval Office this week.
Richmond, D-La., made the crack during the Washington Press Club Foundation’s congressional dinner, in a room full of congressmen and reporters.
“I really just want to know what was going on there,” Richmond said. “I won’t tell anybody, and you can just explain to me that circumstance because she really looked kind of familiar in that postion there.”
Richmond’s comment got no laughs and a few scattered groans.
He spoke right after Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., who had also referenced the couch controversy, but got a much heartier reaction when he said: “Come on people, you remember the ’90s. That couch has had a whole lot worse things, come on now!”
Richmond issued a statement Thursday morning after reaction to his comment spread, denying he meant anything sexual.
“Since some people have interpreted my joke to mean something that it didn’t I think it is important to clarify what I meant,” Richmond said. “Last night was night of levity. Where I grew up saying that someone is looking or acting ‘familiar’ simply means that they are behaving too comfortably. I decided to use that joke due to the large social media backlash over her inappropriate posture considering there were more than 60 HBCU presidents in the room.”
