Not a prostitute

I tuned into Newstalk for a few minutes at lunchtime and heard an incredible amount of damning criticism of the Sunday Independent for reporting that Lawlor was with a prostitute when he died (couldn't find the article that was particularly cited). Independent newspapers has apologized to the Lawlor family. Fair enough, I guess. {It seems a little odd that we're worried that his family may be scandalized by the story that Lawlor died while with a prostitute, but not by endless stories about his almost legendary corruption.}

Still, I didn't find the prostitute reference in the Sunday Independent, but in the Observer. Will the Observer apologize too? And, what of this remark in yesterday's Observer?

It is known that, while on regular trips to Prague, Lawlor, the first Irish politician to be jailed for corruption, visited brothels and sex clubs in the Czech capital.

Well, how is it known? Is it any less scandalous to have claimed that he died in a car crash while traveling with a prostitute than to claim that he frequented brothels? And, if he frequented brothels, what's the big deal? But, if he didn't, where is this stuff coming from?

The person who should be getting the apologies is Julia Kushnir, the woman in the car with Lawlor. The Irish Times describes her as "a 32-year-old mother of two who worked as an assistant to the partner in the legal firm that Mr Lawlor used in Prague". I doubt she checks in here regularly, but I'll say I'm sorry. I was too quick to accept what I read in yesterday's Observer.