In an opinion column published in wallstreetbuzz, a columnist wrote, "James Jackson, CEO of Blain Investments, now posting an $8 billion write-down, has robbed shareholders blind through his accounting slights of hand. Jackson insists that he has scruples. I don’t know about that but if he does have scruples you can bet they belong to somebody else." The columnist: a. has committed the tort of libel. b. is protected from defamation liability under the opinion/analysis quasi-privilege. c. cannot be protected from defamation liability by the opinion/analysis privilege if the statement was published. d. none of the above