Court Opinion

ID: 9553188
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 19:24:52.274767+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:30:12.117348
License: Public Domain

Hill, Don worth, Weaver, and Finley, JJ.
(concurring in
the result)—Since this case is before us on a demurrer to the complaint, we must accept as true the allegations contained therein in determining whether a cause of action is stated. Also, we must give appellants the benefit of the most favorable inferences that may be drawn therefrom. Wilkinson v. Tacoma, 39 Wn. (2d) 878, 239 P. (2d) 344. '
*113The complaint alleges that the following statements of fact contained in the editorial are false: (1) that appellants selected a Tacoma architect to design a state office building; (2) that they contracted on behalf of the state to pay him a fee of 7% per cent for designing a building to cost $2,450,-000; (3) that it was customary for state agencies to pay a fee of only 6 per cent to architects for such services; and (4) that appellants had contracted on behalf of the state to pay the architect the higher fee of 7% per cent despite the strong protests of the governor.
Under these allegations of falsity, we are compelled to assume that the comment of the editorial writer that appellants’ action “must be considered by the taxpayers as an unnecessary and culpable squandering of state funds” has no basis in fact whatsoever. For our present purposes, we must, therefore, assume that no such transaction as that described in the editorial ever took place.
That being the case, there can be no question but that the comment is libelous per se because the word “culpable” may well have been understood by some readers as imputing to appellants conduct which would tend to deprive them of the benefit of public confidence.
We therefore concur in the result of the majority opinion.