Edited sentence: Craig Thomson falsely claim that he "settled" with Fairfax, but this was disputed by Fairfax and the NSW Labor Party released information showing they had in fact had to pay legal costs of almost $350,000 to prevent Craig Thomson going bankrupt, which would make him ineligible to remain in parliament.Craig Thomson then took court action against Fairfax for publishing the allegations, claiming he had been libeled.In April 2009 Fairfax Media in several of their newspapers made serious allegations against former HSU National Secretary and now Federal Labor MP Craig Thomson that during his time at the union he had used union credit cards to procure prostitutes.In June 2011 Craig Thomsons lawyers filed a discontinuance in the Federal Court against Fairfax Media.It has embroiled Federal Member for Dobell, Craig Thomson whose vote is crucial for Labor to remain in power in Australia's current hung parliament.The court case was a pivotal mark in the HSU scandal because for the first time documentary evidence of Craig Thomsons mobile phone records to brothels as well as receipts and signatures at the brothels were revealed to the public which they otherwise would not have seen if not for the court action by Craig Thomson.This failed spectularly when Fairfax was able to legally procure documents for the case from the brothels in question as well as Craig Thomsons phone records, showing that his credit card, drivers license and signature had been used at the brothels and calls made to the brothels from his mobile phone and hotel rooms.This would be the start of a massive media, political and public interest into the HSU and Craig Thomson Affair