Hillary Clinton denies knowing Rezko

CHICAGO, Jan. 26 (UPI) -- U.S. Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton is having to answer questions about a photograph linking her to a contributor to Barack Obama.

The photo, apparently taken in the 1990s, shows Hillary and Bill Clinton posing with Chicago developer Tony Rezko, an indicted Obama contributor whom Hillary Clinton last week condemned as a "slum landlord."

"You know, I probably have taken hundreds of thousands of pictures," Clinton said when shown the photo during an interview on NBC's Today Show.

Clinton, during a debate Monday in South Carolina, criticized Obama, D-Ill., for his relationship with Rezko, who helped bankroll Obama's campaigns and engaged him in real estate deals involving Chicago properties, the Chicago Tribune reported Saturday.

Obama has publicly apologized for his 2005 property deal with Rezko, who faces trial next month on corruption charges unrelated to his relationship with Obama, the Tribune reported.

Rezko, in the past, has given money to both Republicans and Democrats but never contributed to the campaigns of Hillary or Bill Clinton, said a spokesman for the Clintons, who said they could not recall ever meeting Rezko.