Congressman not Twitter friend's father

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- A Tennessee congressman said yesterday that he's "stunned and dismayed" to learn that DNA tests revealed he is not the father of a woman with whom he had an affectionate Twitter exchange this year.

In February, tweets between Rep. Steve Cohen, 64, and Victoria Brink, 24, of Texas, attracted public attention during the president's State of the Union address. Soon after, Cohen said he was Brink's father. He said he'd learned about the relationship three years earlier.

But yesterday, CNN reported that DNA tests showed Cohen is not her father.

"I still love Victoria, hold dear the time I have shared with her, and hope to continue to be a part of her life," Cohen said. "It's been a roller-coaster ride these last 3 1/2 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. Cohen described his relationship with Sinatra as longtime friends. Texas oil executive John Brink raised Victoria Brink.

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 exchanges during the State of the Union appear salacious. -- AP