In a strange twist, DNA test results have now proven that Tennessee Representative Steve Cohen (D) is not the father of a 24 year old woman he previously believed was his long lost biological daughter. Testing provided by a CNN (Cable News Network) investigation has now revealed that there is no biological relation between Rep. Cohen and Victoria Brink, and that the man who raised her is in fact her true father.
The story broke earlier this year when it was revealed that the congressman was sending and receiving intimate tweets during Barack Obama’s State of the Union address in January. In an effort to dispel rumors that the representative from Tennessee was conducting an extra-marital affair, he quickly announced that the woman involved was not his mistress but in fact his long lost daughter from a previous relationship.
The tweets included intimate messages such as “I love you” and prompted a harsh and quick reaction from the State of Tennessee Republican party. The party’s director issued a formal press release regarding the tweets comparing the 64 year-old Democrat to former U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner whom was himself involved in a scandal involving tweets caught by the media.
Daughter from relationship 24 years old
Rep. Cohen made a statement that he had recently begun communicating with an ex-partner whom he knew intimately some 24 years previously. During telephone calls the previous girlfriend admitted she had a 24 year-old daughter who was allegedly conceived during the same time she was in a sexual relationship with the congressman. The girl was born a few months after the relationship concluded and was named Victoria Brinks; carrying the last name of another man with whom the woman was dating.
After learning that Brinks was potentially his daughter, the congressman reached out to her in order to establish a relationship. He has since stated when he first began communicating with his alleged daughter he did not in fact request DNA testing to establish paternity because having no children of his own, he was thrilled with the prospect of having a daughter.
The communication continued for three years until the story broke shortly after the revelation of the State of the Union tweets between the two. Rather than face down suspicion and allegations of an affair between the moderate Democrat in a red state between himself, 64 years old, and the beautiful 24 year-old woman, Cohen came clean with story.
“I was stunned and dismayed at the results.” Rep. Cohen
The story generated immediate media attention once revealed in February, 2013. CNN reported initially on the long lost daughter story eventually offering to produce a report on it including financing DNA testing. The tests for paternity were made between Victoria Brinks and both Rep. Cohen and the man who raised her and provided her with his last name. The test results show conclusively that Cohen is not Victoria’s father and that the other man is.
Rep. Cohen responding in an interview after the test results were made publicly initially commented that “I was stunned and dismayed at the results.” He continued to explain how over the last three years he had developed a father-daughter relationship with Brinks and was convinced that she was in fact his child.
After the revelation in a subsequent interview Cohen concluded that the lesson in this story is that one should never “jump to conclusions”. While there is no longer any question as to the paternity of Victoria Brinks, Cohen contends that the relationship built over the past three years will continue regardless.
