(CBS4) MIAMI Did Governor Charlie Crist father a child out of wedlock 17 years ago? And should he take a paternity test to settle once and for all the question that first surfaced several months ago?These are the questions now dogging our ever jubilant governor.The allegations that Crist may have fathered a child following a one-night stand first came to light during the Republican primary six months ago. Rebecca O'Dell Townsend, a Tampa area attorney, told reporters that in 1989 she had given up a baby girl for adoption and that Crist was the father.At the time the child was placed for adoption, Crist signed an affidavit relinquishing any parental rights over the child, but he also added a line to the document saying he wasn't the child's father."Parenthood by myself is not possible as I never consummated the act necessary for parenthood."When the allegations that Crist may have fathered a child surfaced during the Republican primary, Crist admitted knowing the woman but again denied ever having sex with her. He blamed the allegations on dirty politics.But the issue has resurfaced.After reading about the allegations six months ago in the press, a St. Petersburgh couple, Marshall and Cecelia Tucker, became curious.They had adopted a baby girl in 1989. The child they adopted was born in the same hospital and on the same day as the child put up for adoption by Rebecca O'Dell Townsend.And the same attorney who handled the adoption also handled all of the paperwork for O'Dell Townsend..The Tuckers told the St. Petersburgh Times they just wanted to settle the matter and know if Crist was in fact their daughter's biological father.They tried to quietly contact Crist, but for months the governor ignored them.Now their efforts have become public and Crist has turned mean.Questioned by reporters recently Crist refused to discuss the matter. "There's nothing to it. It's absolutely false," the governor said. "We're not going to play into it."Crist is making a huge mistake.If he is not the father, then he should have taken care of this matter privately and quietly months ago by submitting to a DNA test.And even if he is the father, he should take the test and own up to his mistake.This isn't about politics, this is about a 17-year-old girl trying to figure out who her father is.Her name has been kept out of the press, but she did make the following statement about her desire to know the truth:"It's not that I want anything from him," she said, "but if he is my birth father, I think my curiosity is justified."It certainly is, now the question is: Why not take the test? What is Charlie Crist scared of -- ending up on one of those paternity test episodes of the Montel William's show, entitled: Who's Your Daddy?
mw
3 comments:
This seems quite odd to me. I'll be interested to find out if he eventually agrees to submit to a paternity test.
How is it that a 17 year old minor, her adoptive parents and first parents all NOW have a "right" to know where she came from even though the rest of us schmoes have to live with our records being sealed. This is BS
The issue is more complicated than the newspapers have been willing to print. Rebecca O'Dell Townsend accused Mr. Crist of rape. The newspapers refused to print the rape allegations and, instead, accused Mr. Crist of fathering a child out of wedlock. Whether or not a child was born from that rape is almost inconsequencial. It is a shame that the newspapers refused to print the sexual assault aspect of the case. It may have encouraged other women to come forward and warned women still in his path. Just proves that there is no reason to read the newspaper. It is full of half truths and lies.
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