White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia faces California bar complaint over lawyer claims
New White House press secretary Katie Zacharia is facing scrutiny over whether she is licensed to practise law. President Donald Trump described her as an attorney when announcing her appointment, and she has referred to herself as a lawyer. Asked which state's bar exam she had passed, she said: "When I moved to China." Reporting by Popular Info's Judd Legum found she never passed a state bar exam in any U.S. state, and foreigners are forbidden from taking China's equivalent. The watchdog group Campaign for Accountability filed a complaint with the California State Bar Association seeking an investigation into whether she held herself out as entitled to practise law without a licence. The White House is defending her, saying she is "uniquely qualified."
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White House Defends Press Secretary Katie Zacharia Over Legal Credentials
The White House is defending new press secretary Katie Zacharia after scrutiny emerged over whether she is licensed to practise law. President Donald Trump described her as an attorney when announcing her appointment, and Zacharia has referred to herself as a lawyer. Asked by a reporter which state's bar exam she had passed, she said: "When I moved to China." She does not appear to be registered to the bar in any state where she has lived. The watchdog group Campaign for Accountability filed a complaint with the California State Bar Association, seeking an investigation into whether she held herself out as entitled to practise law without a licence. Zacharia graduated from Pepperdine University's law school in 2011 but did not pass the California bar exam, according to the Wall Street Journal. She says she practised international transaction law with "all the appropriate credentials."
Read sourceTrump Press Secretary Katie Zacharia Hit With California Bar Complaint Over Lawyer Claims
The Campaign for Accountability, a liberal ethics nonprofit, filed a complaint with the State Bar of California on Wednesday alleging that new White House press secretary Katie Zacharia falsely presented herself as a licensed lawyer. The complaint cites her claims of serving as "outside counsel" to the World Bank and International Finance Corporation and "general counsel" to a nonprofit run by Trump official Ric Grenell. Executive director Michelle Kuppersmith wrote that Zacharia has never been admitted to practice law in California, any other state, or the District of Columbia, conduct California law treats as a crime. Zacharia holds a J.D. from Pepperdine University but, per an investigation by Popular Info's Judd Legum, never passed a state bar exam. Asked Tuesday where she passed the bar, she answered "in China," though U.S. state bar exams cannot be taken remotely and the Chinese equivalent is off-limits to foreigners. Her work history lists a Beijing law firm associate role from 2011 to 2013.
Read sourceTrump Press Secretary Katie Zacharia's China Ties and Legal Credentials Questioned
New White House press secretary Katie Zacharia claimed she passed the bar exam when she moved to China, but reporting by Popular Info's Judd Legum found she never passed any U.S. state bar exam, and foreigners are forbidden from passing China's equivalent. Her LinkedIn shows she worked at Zhong Lun, an elite Chinese law firm, from 2011 to 2013 as an associate on the international practice team. Zhong Lun has provided legal services to numerous Chinese government agencies and state-owned enterprises, including the Ministry of Justice and People's Bank of China. During the same period, Zacharia worked at Compassion for Migrant Children, a Beijing nonprofit that engaged with Chinese government and educational officials. The article also covers six GOP senators opposing Trump's Russia diesel deal and Trump canceling his BBC lawsuit deposition.
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Trump Press Secretary Katie Zacharia's Past China Work and Legal Credentials Questioned
New White House press secretary Katie Zacharia claimed she passed the bar exam when she moved to China, but reporting by Popular Info's Judd Legum found she never passed any U.S. state bar exam, and foreigners are forbidden from passing China's equivalent. Her LinkedIn shows she worked at Zhong Lun, an elite Beijing-based law firm, from 2011 to 2013 as an associate on the international practice team. Zhong Lun has provided legal services to numerous Chinese government agencies and state-owned enterprises, including the Ministry of Justice and People's Bank of China. During the same period, Zacharia worked at Compassion for Migrant Children, a Beijing nonprofit that engaged with Chinese government and educational officials. The article questions the extent of her connections to the Chinese government.
Read sourceTrump Press Secretary Katie Zacharia Accused of Falsely Claiming to Be a Lawyer
A report by Popular Info's Judd Legum found that incoming White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia is not licensed to practice law in any U.S. state, despite claiming to be an attorney. Zacharia obtained a JD from Pepperdine Caruso Law in 2011 but never passed a state bar exam, according to a review of all 50 state bar databases. She also worked as "general counsel" for a Ric Grenell–operated nonprofit in California without credentials. The White House responded by pointing to a Truth Social post from Donald Trump describing her as an attorney, offering no further evidence. The article also notes Zacharia previously claimed the abortion pill mifepristone came from Nazi Germany and promoted the Pizzagate conspiracy. Additional items cover Ken Paxton's Dubai trip with fugitives and Kimberly Guilfoyle's resignation as ambassador to Greece.
Trump's New Press Secretary Katie Zacharia Accused of Lying About Being a Lawyer
Katie Zacharia, the incoming White House press secretary, is not licensed to practice law in any U.S. state, according to a report by Popular Info's Judd Legum. Although she obtained a J.D. from Pepperdine Caruso Law in 2011 and worked as "general counsel" for a Ric Grenell–operated nonprofit, Legum found no bar membership in California, Texas, or Washington, D.C., and no record of her passing any qualifying legal exam in all 50 states. When asked, Zacharia claimed she passed the bar when she "moved to China," but foreigners are forbidden from practicing law in China. The White House referred to a Trump Truth Social post calling her an attorney without offering further evidence. The article also notes Zacharia previously claimed mifepristone came from Nazi Germany and promoted the Pizzagate conspiracy.