A Democratic congressman has sparked outrage by joking that Kellyanne Conway looked 'familiar' on her knees on the Oval Office couch.

Cedric Richmond, the congressman for the 2nd District of Louisiana, made the joke at a dinner in Washington DC on Wednesday.

'She really looked kind of familiar in that position there,' said Richmond, he told the Washington Press Club Foundation Dinner awkwardly as he delivered his speech.

Conway took to Twitter to say she was outraged by the 'sexist and unfunny', sharing her disappointment that not more people felt the same.

Richmond drew hardly any laughs as he delivered the joke on Wednesday night.

Scroll down for video

Richmond's joke was in reference to Conway's seating position on the Oval Office couch last week when she sat on her knees with her heels digging in to the sofa to take a photograph of the president as he met with leaders of black colleges and universities

'You even mention Kellyanne and the picture of the sofa. And I really want to know, you know, what was going on there because I won't tell anybody.

'And you can just explain to me that, that circumstance because she really looked kind of familiar in that position there but - don't answer.

'And I don't want you to refer back to the 90s,' he said cryptically. Richmond didn't respond to requests on Thursday night to explain what he meant by the reference.

Conway aired her fury on Twitter on Thursday after hearing about the joke.

'So called sisterhood alarmingly silent. Cedric Richmond's sexist, unfunny joke,' she said.

But the sisterhood seemed alive and well. Many members were vocal in their outrage and demanded Richmond's resignation.

Richmond made the joke at the Washington Press Club Foundation Dinner on Wednesday but it drew hardly any laughs

Conway shared her disappointment in the congressman's joke on Twitter on Thursday

Other Twitter users backed Conway's outrage and called for Richmond's resignation

Ronna Romney McDaniel, the newly instated RNC Chair, said the joke was 'disgusting and offensive'

He attempted to explain away the comment, telling The Daily Caller he merely meant she looked as though she was making herself comfortable in the room.

'Since some people have interpreted my joke to mean something that it didn’t I think it is important to clarify what I meant.

'Last night was a night of levity. Where I grew up saying that someone is looking or acting ‘familiar’ simply means that they are behaving too comfortably,' he said.

His attempt fueled even more outcry.

Ronna Romney McDaniel, the newly instated Republican National Committee Chair, said it was 'disgusting'.

'You may think this is funny, but it’s not. It’s disgusting & offensive. A snarky joke for you is just a reminder of the demeaning comments women hear every single day.

Conway had been asked to take a photograph and sat on her knees to allow herself to lean forward

'And trust me, it happens to all women Don’t “clarify,” - apologize. I’d suggest using Women's History Month to lift us up instead of knocking us down,' she fumed in a quick succession of tweets.

Conway was lampooned for perching on her knees on the Oval Office couch while wearing heels last week to take a photograph of the president as he gathered around the Truman desk with the leaders of historically black universities and colleges.

She swiftly apologized for the faux-pas, insisting she'd meant 'no disrespect' and was merely trying to capture the moment in a photograph but was squeezed on the sofa because the room was so crowded with media and guests.

'I was asked to take a certain angle and was doing exactly that. I certainly meant no disrespect, I didn’t mean to have my feet on the couch. '

The incident also set-off a gaggle of internet memes mocking Conway for the unorthodox stance.