Photo Surfaces Showing Sen. Clinton Posing With Chicago Landlord Rezko
A photograph has surfaced that purports to show Hillary Clinton posing with Bill Clinton and Chicago landlord Tony Rezko.
The unsourced photo appeared Friday morning on DrudgeReport.com.
In a televised debate earlier this week, Hillary Clinton attacked Barack Obama in a heated exchange for engaging in a land deal with Rezko while Obama was in the Illinois legislature. Obama has severed ties with the businessman, who supported Obama’s campaigns earlier in his career.
Rezko is awaiting trial next month on federal corruption charges. He was indicted on fraud, attempted extortion and money laundering counts for allegedly plotting to get campaign money and payoffs from firms seeking to do business before two state boards.
Once that trial is behind him, the 53-year-old Rezko faces a separate federal charge of swindling the General Electric Capital Corp. out of $10 million in connection with the sale of pizza restaurants.
Clinton was confronted with the photo of her with Rezko during an interview on NBC News Friday.
She said she didn’t know the man, adding, “I probably have taken hundreds of thousands of pictures. … I wouldn’t know him if he walked in the door. I don’t have a 17-year-relationship with him,” alluding to Obama’s ties to Rezko.
Clinton — who was forced to sever ties with major Democratic fundraiser Norman Hsu after it became known that Hsu was evading fraud charges — was asked if it was fair to attack Obama, knowing that Rezko had previously contributed to the Democratic party, and it’s impossible to completely vet all political contacts.
“There’s a big difference between standing somewhere taking a picture with someone you don’t know and haven’t seen since and having a relationship that, you know, the newspapers in Chicago have been exploring,” Clinton said.
Obama’s campaign reacted by claiming the photo proves Rezko’s prominent fundraising role for politicians across the board.
“The photo reflects the fact that Mr. Rezko was clearly involved in a wide range of fund raising for both Democrats and Republicans,” the campaign said in an initial statement.
Obama adviser David Axelrod chimed in, “If they are standing there beaming with Tony Rezko it means they knew who Tony Rezko was. He was a player, a prominent figure raising money and about town.”
Clinton’s campaign issued a statement via e-mail later Friday, with a number of links to Internet media sources that document Obama’s ties to Rezko.
“Tony Rezko has never contributed a dime to Hilary or Bill Clinton. They have no relationship with Tony Rezko,” Clinton spokesman Phil singer said. He also included a link to the political money-tracking site OpenSecrets.org, which indicates Rezko has not directly contributed to Clinton, at least as far back as 1990.
Singer then pointed to a number of stories describing Obama’s financial and political relationship with Rezko.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Here we have a perfect example of what Bill and Hillary Clinton represent. Ever since they have been in politics to include Arkan they have been involved with the art of lies, deceptions and very shady characters. We need change in Washington and people in America should wake up and smell the roses. Do we really want another 4 years of what Bill offered us? howe does it feel? Hillary. Of course this guy just happened to be close enough to take a picture right? As an average citizen i would have never been able to take such a picture. Clinton access is a give and take and theyll take the house furnishings that they weren’t abel to take the last time Bill was in the house.
BJ wants Hillary to get in office so THEY can PARDON more of their cronies, drugdealers, extorsionists, and the like. Oh yeah and then they can TRASH the white house again.
Thier PATHETIC.
I pray Mitt Romney can take this country in the RIGHT direction
I don’t know it looks a little photoshop style to me.
She doesn’t remember???? A woman of her “stature” surely remembers what she wants to remember doesn’t she? Gosh, I wonder how those files disappeared and then reappeared in her “oval” office??? She is a LIAR, will always be a LIAR. Wake UP America!! DETHRONE the Queen.
Hillary “didn’t know that man” just like Billy “didn’t have sex with that woman”. If you don’t know shat is is you just aren’t swinging. I think they should both be put out to pasture.
More lies and deception from the Clintons.. There is just no end to it.. Keep all this in mind when trying to decide who to vote for …
Haven’t the newspapers in New York been “exploring” Hillary’s relationship with Hsu-or am I delirious too?
One more Clinton untruth
Makes Hillary look more ridiculous than she was already looking. Hypocrit
Now did you really expect the Trollop to admit she knew Rezko.