Katie Zachariah, the new White House press secretary, has confirmed that she has never passed a bar exam in the United States. The admission comes as she has publicly presented herself as a lawyer and has also been described as such by President Donald Trump.
The nonprofit organization Campaign for Accountability has filed a complaint over the matter with the State Bar of California. It is seeking a review of whether Zachariah broke the law by presenting herself as a lawyer without holding the required license.
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During an interview on Thursday with conservative commentator Jack Posobiec, Zachariah said she had taken the California bar exam in 2011 but failed. She said her attention at the time was focused on her marriage and preparations to move to China for her husband’s work.
A graduate of Pepperdine University School of Law, she explained that she had not attached much importance to the exam result. Zachariah said passing it was not necessary for the work she would be doing in China.
She disputed claims that she had ever presented herself as a lawyer licensed to practice in the United States and said the issue had been accompanied by misinformation. She said she had never claimed to hold a license to practice law.
The controversy drew renewed attention following a report in The Wall Street Journal. The newspaper reported that Zachariah had not obtained a law license in any of the U.S. states where she had lived.
Before that report, journalists had asked her during a trip by Trump to Alaska which state she had passed the bar exam in. She responded by saying she had gone to China, prompting confusion and questions about her professional qualifications.
In a statement to CBS News, Zachariah said she had practiced international trade law in China. She insisted that she had the necessary professional qualifications but offered no further explanation.
Campaign for Accountability alleges that Zachariah has used the title of lawyer to lend greater credibility to her role as a legal commentator and, now, as White House spokesperson.
Under California law, both practicing law without a license and falsely presenting oneself as authorized to practice may constitute legal violations. The filing of the complaint, however, does not mean that any violation by Zachariah has been established.
Stanford University law professor Nora Freeman Engstrom also explained that the prohibition under California law extends beyond practicing without a license: it also covers falsely presenting oneself as a licensed lawyer.
The White House has defended the press secretary. Communications Director Stephen Chung said Zachariah was an outstanding member of the team and had the qualifications to perform her duties.
Chung also criticized the organization that filed the complaint, describing it as aligned with the political left.
There is no information yet on whether the State Bar of California has opened a formal investigation into the matter or whether it will take action against the White House press secretary.
