Charlie Crist confronted an 18-year-old claim that he fathered a child with a St. Petersburg woman, calling it "absolutely false" on Sunday as a secret campaign was launched near the end of the Republican primary for governor to leak the paternity dispute to the press.

Documents faxed anonymously to the St. Petersburg Times show that in 1989 Rebecca O'Dell Wharrie (photo right) said Crist was the father of a baby she wanted to place for adoption. Crist signed an affidavit denying paternity and relinquishing any parental rights. "Parenthood by myself is not possible as I never consummated the act necessary for parenthood," Crist stated in the affidavit signed in May 1989. In a handwritten note at the bottom, he added "This should make clear the adoptive process. Thanks, Charlie."

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