Comedian Bill Maher drew backlash on Friday after he suggested that Rep. Will Hurd William Ballard HurdHillicon Valley: Oracle confirms deal with TikTok to be 'trusted technology provider' | QAnon spreads across globe, shadowing COVID-19 | VA hit by data breach impacting 46,000 veterans House approves bill to secure internet-connected federal devices against cyber threats House Democrats' campaign arm reserves .6M in ads in competitive districts MORE (R-Texas), who is black, collected intelligence near “Popeyes” during his career in the CIA.

Maher had pressed Hurd on why he was a Republican.

"They’re not good at national defense — the president’s a traitor. What’s in it for you? What is in the Republican Party for you? You were in the CIA!”

Hurd, discussing his work in the CIA with Maher, said “I was the dude in the back alleys at 4 o’clock in the morning collecting intelligence.”

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“That’s where they collect them?” Maher responded, “By the Popeyes chicken?”

Hurd appeared to brush off the comment by continuing to discuss his career.

The Hill has reached out to Hurd's office for comment on the exchange.

Maher's remarks were widely denounced on Twitter.

“How many lives does Bill Maher have?!” tweeted National Republican Senatorial Committee senior adviser Matt Whitlock. “A shocking number for someone who isn’t funny and adds very little to the world."

How many lives does Bill Maher have?! A shocking number for someone who isn’t funny and adds very little to the world. — Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) February 1, 2019

“He did it again, folks. How long is @HBO going to be cool with a guy being unabashedly racist on their network under the guise of just being outrageous?” Sleeping Giants, an anti-bigotry campaign, posted from its official Twitter account.

He did it again, folks. How long is @HBO going to be cool with a guy being unabashedly racist on their network under the guise of just being outrageous? https://t.co/PwlmLlG8Pf — Sleeping Giants (@slpng_giants) February 2, 2019

Decent people shouldn’t go on Bill Maher’s show. I have said this for years. Also he shouldn’t have a show. — southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) February 1, 2019

In a fairly heated exchange, with Maher pressing Rep. Hurd as to why he's a Republican, Maher suggests Hurd of gathering intelligence in the alley by the Popeyes Chicken.



(We already knew this about Bill Maher.) https://t.co/MybtL1bafI — Friendly Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) February 1, 2019

remember when bill maher said "I'm a house n—" and then basically blamed it on the spontaneity of live television? pepperidge farms remembers — new year, same shrill (@theshrillest) February 1, 2019

Bill Maher insults black CIA vet by suggesting he picked up tips "behind the Popeye's Chicken" same day as Ralph Northam admits he submitted racist af blackface Klan photo to yearbook - it's almost like this is all a game to them. — Ben Domenech (@bdomenech) February 1, 2019

Dang Bill Maher is racist af. — Phetasy (@BridgetPhetasy) February 1, 2019

Maher has drawn criticism for inflammatory comments before.

The HBO host was accused of being racist in 2017 after he used the n-word on his show. Maher later apologized for the remark.