Title: Pritt v. Republican National Committee, et al.  (concurring)

State: west-virginia

Issuer: West Virginia Supreme Court

Document:

No. 29326 – Charlotte Pritt v. The Republican National Committee, et al. FILED RELEASED Albright, Justice, concurring: December 12, 2001 December 12, 2001 RORY L. PERRY II, CLERK RORY L. PERRY II, CLERK SUPREME COURT OF APPEALS SUPREME COURT OF APPEALS OF WEST VIRGINIA OF WEST VIRGINIA I fully concur in the judgment of the Court and in Justice Davis’ opinion. I write separately to note disagreement with a position Appellees asserted. Appellees suggested to us, as I understood them, that because the author of the commercials at issue in this case asserted a belief that the information contained in the commercials relatingto Appellant’s past actions was factually accurate, neither Appellee could be found guilty of malice or be found to have defamed Appellant. Respectfully, I suggest that the issue is what Appellees, or either of them, knew or should have known regarding the factual content and the context of the commercials. Appellees’ appreciation of the factual content and the context of the commercials springs from the knowledge and experience of the leadership, staff and respective governing bodies of each of theAppellees. What a hired wordsmith knew or should have known is but a part of the picture. Appellees cannot be permitted to hide behind deficienciesin that wordsmith’s appreciation of what his commercials said to the public about Appellant. I am authorized to state that Justice Starcher joins in this concurring opinion.