Finley, J.
This action concerns an order of the Kittitas County Superior Court granting a motion of the defendant/respondent newspaper, The Daily Record, for summary judgment dismissing a libel action instituted by the plaintiff/appellant, Willard Chase.
The facts of the instant case are as follows: In the spring of 1971, the appellant, Willard Chase, was a commissioner for the Kittitas County Port District. Pursuant to a state audit of the port district, Chase was requested to make “repayment” of certain sums to the port district upon the basis that he had allegedly received reimbursement from the port district for a trip which he was supposed to make, but one which he did not actually take to Washington, D.C. The record shows that a commissioner of the local,public utility district took the trip instead of appellant Commissioner Chase of the Kittitas Port District. On April 9, 1971, after learning that a newspaper in Kittitas County intended to publish a news story relating to this “repayment,” Chase contacted the owner-publisher of the paper and requested that he be permitted to have a statement published. Chase was advised at that point to contact the newspaper office the following morning. On April 10, 1971, Chase telephoned the editor of the newspaper and read a prepared statement.1 That same day, the newspaper ran a news arti[39]*39cle on the “repayment” issue, publishing in part the statement of Chase, but omitting the assertion by Chase that he had actually received no public funds as reimbursement for the trip that he did not take.2 This omission constitutes the [40]*40basis for the immediate libel action. After reviewing various pretrial affidavits, depositions, interrogatories, and exhibits, including the news article itself, the trial court granted a motion by the respondent newspaper for summary judgment. In support of this order, the court observed that Chase had failed to present evidence sufficient to demonstrate the existence of any issue of fact relating to the necessary material element for a libel action which concerns a public official in a matter of public interest, to wit: actual malice. This ruling of the trial court was affirmed by the Court of Appeals.
In reviewing the preceding judgments in this case, we are mindful of the pertinent modification to the law of libel established by the United States Supreme Court in New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254, 11 L. Ed. 2d 686, 84 S. Ct. 710, 95 A.L.R.2d 1412 (1964), as that relates to “public officials.” In delineating the protection accorded speech and press by the First Amendment, the court prefaced its ruling in New York Times with the following observation:
[W] e consider this case against the background ,of a profound national commitment to the principle that debate on public issues should be uninhibited, robust, and wide-open, and that it may well include vehement, caustic, and sometimes unpleasantly sharp attacks on government and public officials. See Terminiello v. Chicago, 337 U. S. 1, 4; De Jonge v. Oregon, 299 U. S. 353, 365.
[41]*41New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, supra at 270-71. Upon this basis, the court concluded as follows:
The constitutional guarantees require, we think, a federal rule that prohibits a public official from recovering damages for a defamatory falsehood relating to his official conduct unless he proves that the statement was made with “actual malice” — that is, with knowledge that it was false or with reckless disregard of whether it was false or not.
New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, supra at 279-80. Accord, Rosenbloom v. Metromedia, Inc., 403 U.S. 29, 29 L. Ed. 2d 296, 91 S. Ct. 1811 (1971); Rosenblatt v. Baer, 383 U.S. 75, 15 L. Ed. 2d 597, 86 S. Ct. 669 (1966); Garrison v. Louisiana, 379 U.S. 64, 13 L. Ed. 2d 125, 85 S. Ct. 209 (1964); Miller v. Argus Publishing Co., 79 Wn.2d 816, 490 P.2d 101 (1971); Grayson v. Curtis Publishing Co., 72 Wn.2d 999, 436 P.2d 756 (1967). In Garrison v. Louisiana, supra at 74, 79, the court restricted recovery in libel actions instituted by public officials to those cases where false statements are made with a “high degree of awareness of their probable falsity,” rejecting an “ordinary care” or “mere negligence” standard. This “reasonable-man standard of liability” was again declined in Rosenbloom v. Metromedia, Inc., supra at 50-51. In applying the strict test of knowledge of falseness or reckless disregard of the falseness of an allegedly libelous statement, the court has required that evidence proffered by a plaintiff-public official to show such actual malice must do so with “convincing clarity.” New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, supra at 285-86.
The plaintiff-appellant, Willard Chase, became the subject of the allegedly libelous news article as a result of his public position as port district commissioner; by his own admission, his conduct constituted an “issue of public or general concern.” Rosenbloom v. Metromedia, Inc., supra at 44. Thus, Chase was a “public official” as defined in New York Times, and therefore, at the final or “full-blown” trial stage of the lawsuit, would be required to prove by evidence meeting the standard of “convincing clarity” pre[42]*42scribed by the decisions of the United States Supreme Court (1) that the allegedly defamatory statement concerning his official conduct was, in fact, false, and (2) that this false statement was published with knowledge that it was false or with reckless disregard of whether it was false or not.
Faced at the opening or pretrial stage of the lawsuit with a motion by the respondent newspaper for summary judgment, Chase had the burden of producing or setting forth “specific facts showing there is a genuine issue of material fact for trial.” Plaisted v. Tangen, 72 Wn.2d 259, 263, 432 P.2d 647 (1967). This requirement was elaborated upon in Leland v. Frogge, 71 Wn.2d 197, 200-01, 427 P.2d 724 (1967), as follows:
The function of a summary judgment is to determine whether there is a genuine issue of material fact requiring a formal trial. Balise v. Underwood, 62 Wn.2d 195, 381 P.2d 966 (1963); Olson v. Balch, 63 Wn.2d 938, 389 P.2d 900 (1964). The evidence before the judge is that contained in the pleadings, affidavits, admissions and other material properly presented. State ex rel. Bond v. State, 62 Wn.2d 487, 383 P.2d 288 (1963); 3 Barron & Holtzoff, Federal Practice and Procedure § 1236.
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Finley, J.
This action concerns an order of the Kittitas County Superior Court granting a motion of the defendant/respondent newspaper, The Daily Record, for summary judgment dismissing a libel action instituted by the plaintiff/appellant, Willard Chase.
The facts of the instant case are as follows: In the spring of 1971, the appellant, Willard Chase, was a commissioner for the Kittitas County Port District. Pursuant to a state audit of the port district, Chase was requested to make “repayment” of certain sums to the port district upon the basis that he had allegedly received reimbursement from the port district for a trip which he was supposed to make, but one which he did not actually take to Washington, D.C. The record shows that a commissioner of the local,public utility district took the trip instead of appellant Commissioner Chase of the Kittitas Port District. On April 9, 1971, after learning that a newspaper in Kittitas County intended to publish a news story relating to this “repayment,” Chase contacted the owner-publisher of the paper and requested that he be permitted to have a statement published. Chase was advised at that point to contact the newspaper office the following morning. On April 10, 1971, Chase telephoned the editor of the newspaper and read a prepared statement.1 That same day, the newspaper ran a news arti[39]*39cle on the “repayment” issue, publishing in part the statement of Chase, but omitting the assertion by Chase that he had actually received no public funds as reimbursement for the trip that he did not take.2 This omission constitutes the [40]*40basis for the immediate libel action. After reviewing various pretrial affidavits, depositions, interrogatories, and exhibits, including the news article itself, the trial court granted a motion by the respondent newspaper for summary judgment. In support of this order, the court observed that Chase had failed to present evidence sufficient to demonstrate the existence of any issue of fact relating to the necessary material element for a libel action which concerns a public official in a matter of public interest, to wit: actual malice. This ruling of the trial court was affirmed by the Court of Appeals.
In reviewing the preceding judgments in this case, we are mindful of the pertinent modification to the law of libel established by the United States Supreme Court in New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254, 11 L. Ed. 2d 686, 84 S. Ct. 710, 95 A.L.R.2d 1412 (1964), as that relates to “public officials.” In delineating the protection accorded speech and press by the First Amendment, the court prefaced its ruling in New York Times with the following observation:
[W] e consider this case against the background ,of a profound national commitment to the principle that debate on public issues should be uninhibited, robust, and wide-open, and that it may well include vehement, caustic, and sometimes unpleasantly sharp attacks on government and public officials. See Terminiello v. Chicago, 337 U. S. 1, 4; De Jonge v. Oregon, 299 U. S. 353, 365.
[41]*41New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, supra at 270-71. Upon this basis, the court concluded as follows:
The constitutional guarantees require, we think, a federal rule that prohibits a public official from recovering damages for a defamatory falsehood relating to his official conduct unless he proves that the statement was made with “actual malice” — that is, with knowledge that it was false or with reckless disregard of whether it was false or not.
New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, supra at 279-80. Accord, Rosenbloom v. Metromedia, Inc., 403 U.S. 29, 29 L. Ed. 2d 296, 91 S. Ct. 1811 (1971); Rosenblatt v. Baer, 383 U.S. 75, 15 L. Ed. 2d 597, 86 S. Ct. 669 (1966); Garrison v. Louisiana, 379 U.S. 64, 13 L. Ed. 2d 125, 85 S. Ct. 209 (1964); Miller v. Argus Publishing Co., 79 Wn.2d 816, 490 P.2d 101 (1971); Grayson v. Curtis Publishing Co., 72 Wn.2d 999, 436 P.2d 756 (1967). In Garrison v. Louisiana, supra at 74, 79, the court restricted recovery in libel actions instituted by public officials to those cases where false statements are made with a “high degree of awareness of their probable falsity,” rejecting an “ordinary care” or “mere negligence” standard. This “reasonable-man standard of liability” was again declined in Rosenbloom v. Metromedia, Inc., supra at 50-51. In applying the strict test of knowledge of falseness or reckless disregard of the falseness of an allegedly libelous statement, the court has required that evidence proffered by a plaintiff-public official to show such actual malice must do so with “convincing clarity.” New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, supra at 285-86.
The plaintiff-appellant, Willard Chase, became the subject of the allegedly libelous news article as a result of his public position as port district commissioner; by his own admission, his conduct constituted an “issue of public or general concern.” Rosenbloom v. Metromedia, Inc., supra at 44. Thus, Chase was a “public official” as defined in New York Times, and therefore, at the final or “full-blown” trial stage of the lawsuit, would be required to prove by evidence meeting the standard of “convincing clarity” pre[42]*42scribed by the decisions of the United States Supreme Court (1) that the allegedly defamatory statement concerning his official conduct was, in fact, false, and (2) that this false statement was published with knowledge that it was false or with reckless disregard of whether it was false or not.
Faced at the opening or pretrial stage of the lawsuit with a motion by the respondent newspaper for summary judgment, Chase had the burden of producing or setting forth “specific facts showing there is a genuine issue of material fact for trial.” Plaisted v. Tangen, 72 Wn.2d 259, 263, 432 P.2d 647 (1967). This requirement was elaborated upon in Leland v. Frogge, 71 Wn.2d 197, 200-01, 427 P.2d 724 (1967), as follows:
The function of a summary judgment is to determine whether there is a genuine issue of material fact requiring a formal trial. Balise v. Underwood, 62 Wn.2d 195, 381 P.2d 966 (1963); Olson v. Balch, 63 Wn.2d 938, 389 P.2d 900 (1964). The evidence before the judge is that contained in the pleadings, affidavits, admissions and other material properly presented. State ex rel. Bond v. State, 62 Wn.2d 487, 383 P.2d 288 (1963); 3 Barron & Holtzoff, Federal Practice and Procedure § 1236. When a pleading or affidavit is properly made and is uncontradicted, it may be taken as true for purposes of passing upon the motion for summary judgment. Preston v. Duncan, 55 Wn.2d 678, 349 P.2d 605 (1960); Henry v. St. Regis Paper Co., 55 Wn.2d 148, 346 P.2d 692 (1959). A party may not rest on formal pleadings, but must affirmatively present the factual evidence upon which he relies. Reed v. Streib, 65 Wn.2d 700, 399 P.2d 338 (1965) ; Meissner v. Simpson Timber Co., 69 Wn.2d 949, 421 P.2d 674 (1966).
The Court of Appeals, in considering the instant case, has stated:
plaintiff had the burden of producing sufficient facts in the summary judgment proceeding to establish a genuine issue of fact which, if believed, could persuade a jury with convincing clarity that defendant was guilty of actual malice in failing to insert plaintiff’s denial of having received any money in connection with the trip.
[43]*43(Italics ours.) Chase v. Daily Record, Inc., 8 Wn. App. 1, 4, 503 P.2d 1103 (1972). While we agree with this very basic analytical thesis or structure set out by the Court of Appeals, it seems to us some further analysis and discussion is necessary and may be helpful.
As to summary judgment procedure in run-of-the-mill lawsuits, it is well established that the function of the trial court in ruling upon a motion for summary judgment is not to resolve the basic factual issues, with the ultimate finality which is expected and is appropriate at the final or “full-blown” trial stage of a lawsuit. Rather, the trial court’s function is to determine whether a genuine issue as to any material fact exists. Hughes v. Chehalis School Dist. 302, 61 Wn.2d 222, 377 P.2d 642 (1963); Jolly v. Fossum, 59 Wn.2d 20, 365 P.2d 780 (1961); Trautman, Motions for Summary Judgment: Their Use and Effect in Washington, 45 Wash. L. Rev. 1 (1970). In defamation actions by public officials, although the summary judgment procedure is basically the same, we are convinced the decisions of the United States Supreme Court have added a new facet, measurement, or dimension which must now be considered and resolved by the trial courts. In other words, in such defamation actions, if the trial judge at the summary judgment stage determines that the plaintiff has offered evidence of a sufficient quantum to establish a prima facie case, and the offered evidence can be equated with the standard or test of “convincing clarity” prescribed by United States Supreme Court decisions, the motion for summary judgment should be denied.3 Accord, United Medical Labs., Inc. v. [44]*44Columbia Broadcasting Sys., Inc., 404 F.2d 706 (9th Cir. 1968), cert. denied, 394 U.S. 921, 22 L. Ed. 2d 454, 89 S. Ct. 1197 (1969).
Adverting now to the factual proof presented to the trial court in the instant case: the defendant Daily Record published a news article about the plaintiff, including these statements: “All payments were made to the county port district and were termed as ‘repayment and penalty’ . . . [t]he larger amount was for a port trip he did not take to Washington, D.C.” This clearly implies that the plaintiff made a repayment for the cost of a trip he did not take. Repayment is defined as the act of paying back. Webster’s Third New International Dictionary (1971). In other words, the full import of the article was that plaintiff received money, i.e., public funds under the false pretense of having incurred expenses for a trip he, in fact, had never made. Further, when that was discovered, plaintiff made a repayment.
The article, taken as a whole, leaves the reader with the clear implication of defalcation of public port monies by a public official. It was not true that plaintiff personally received this expense money. To state that he was repaying something he had never received was false.
Defendant knew it was false. In the statement made to defendant’s managing editor, prior to publication, plaintiff asserted that he had never received any money. He asserted that he emphasized that point more than once in giving his statement to the managing editor.
Plaintiff offered proof, for whatever its significance, that at a local coffee club, described as composed of local prominent people, and after the article appeared, it was said: “Well it looks like everyone had their finger in the till. I only know what I read in the newspaper.”
[45]*45It was error for the trial court to find that there was no evidence that the article was false or printed with knowledge of its falsity. As the above analysis demonstrates, use of the word “repayment” carries a possible implication of an improper receipt and use of public funds and subsequent repayment. Prior to publication a statement which plaintiff allegedly read to the defendant indicated that such an implication was untrue and false.
In our judgment the plaintiff made out a prima facie case and his proof was of convincing clarity. He was entitled to have the issues of defamation, actual malice, and damages determined by the trier of facts. The judgment of the trial court and the Court of Appeals is reversed and the case is remanded for trial.
Hale, C.J., and Hunter, Hamilton, Stafford, Wright, Utter, and Brachtenbach, JJ., concur.