Court Opinion

ID: 9605795
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 02:42:04.607609+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:21:33.940723
License: Public Domain

Hale, C.J.
(concurring) — I concur in the court’s opinion but would include the State Auditor among the public officials to whom the grand jury evidence should be released. The trial court, in its order of June 25,1973, directing that “the Grand Jury evidence relating to the above entitled case . : . be made available . . . for . . . The Auditor of the State of Washington,” in my judgment acted both circumspectly and well within its discretion.
By statute, the State Auditor is the chief accountant of the State. RCW 43.09. He is independently elected statewide; free of administrative control by other officials; and exercises independent judgment with respect to the legality of public expenditures. He not only keeps track of the vast disbursements of state money and property, but examines the accounting systems by which records are kept and looks into their legality. RCW 43.09.050. If the grand jury evidence indicates faulty, inadequate or obsolete accounting methods related to the operation of the state-owned system for the sale of liquor, the State Auditor should, I think be among those state officers first to be advised.
Rummel, J. Pro Tern., concurs with Hale, C.J.