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Remember the Dem Rep. Who Claimed Curious Tweets to Bikini Model Were OK Because She's His Secret Daughter? There's Been a Major Twist
Victoria Brink (Source: Google Image)

Remember the Dem Rep. Who Claimed Curious Tweets to Bikini Model Were OK Because She's His Secret Daughter? There's Been a Major Twist

"Stunned and dismayed"

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (TheBlaze/AP) -- U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) found himself in hot water in February after a series of tweets with a much-younger bikini model were discovered, his messages including statements like: "Happy Valentines beautiful girl. ilu [I love you]."

Cohen quickly silenced allegations of Anthony Weiner-style impropriety by claiming the girl was his daughter, whom he'd only discovered existed three years prior, but is now "stunned and dismayed" to learn that DNA tests have revealed he is not in fact the father of 24-year-old Victoria Brink of Texas.

"I was stunned and dismayed when DNA tests disproved what Victoria and I believed about our relationship," Cohen said in a Thursday statement. "I still love Victoria, hold dear the time I have shared with her, and hope to continue to be a part of her life.

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) pauses as he speaks to members of the media during a news conference in his office April 12, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. (Photo: Getty Images)

"It's been a roller coaster ride these last three and a half years from which I have learned something about parenting and some more about love, life, and heartache."

Brink is the daughter of Texas criminal defense lawyer Cynthia White Sinatra, who ran for Congress in 2006 against Ron Paul. Texas executive John Brink raised Victoria Brink, but Cohen apparently had a relationship with Sinatra prior to Victoria's birth.

Victoria Brink (Source: victoria_brink/Twitter)

“I googled her mother, found out she had a child and the math looked pretty accurate,” Cohen said back in February. “The mom told me we had a lot of catching up to do.”

CNN reported Thursday that it obtained DNA from John Brink, Victoria Brink and Cohen for tests, and that results showed Cohen wasn't her father.  Cohen's office said he also submitted a test of his own.

Watch CNN's complete report, which includes an interview with Victoria Brink, below:

Cohen, who has never been married, said in February that he decided to publicly acknowledge Brink as his daughter after bloggers and the media tried to make their exchanges (some of which occurred during the State of the Union) appear salacious.

When tweets began to attract public attention, an aide to the 64-year-old Memphis Democrat said he had accidentally exchanged tweets with a woman who was the daughter of a friend, but removed them when he realized they weren't private.

One was sent during the State of the Union and another was sent the next day, in response to her tweet "@RepCohen just saw you on tv!"

Following the tweets, the Tennessee Republican Party's executive director issued a news release comparing Cohen to former U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner, who resigned about two years ago after tweeting lewd pictures of himself.

After announcing that Brink was his daughter, Cohen said the episode should be a lesson "not to jump to conclusions."

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