White House Stands by Press Secretary Amid Bar Exam Scrutiny

The White House is defending newly appointed Press Secretary Katie Zacharia as questions mount regarding her legal qualifications.

President Donald Trump introduced Zacharia as an attorney during last week’s announcement, and she has previously identified herself as a lawyer. However, during a briefing alongside the president on Tuesday, a reporter asked in which state she had passed the bar examination required to practice law in the United States. Zacharia responded, “When I moved to China.”

Records indicate she is not registered with the bar association in any state where she has resided. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung described Zacharia as “uniquely qualified and whip smart to help inform the American people.”

In a statement issued this week addressing her credentials, Zacharia stated, “I practised international transaction law, with all the appropriate credentials.”

On Wednesday, the watchdog organization Campaign for Accountability filed a complaint with the California State Bar Association. The group is requesting an investigation into whether Zacharia “repeatedly held herself out to the public as entitled to practise law without a licence to do so,” which California law classifies as a crime.

Pepperdine University confirmed that the 42-year-old political strategist graduated from its law school in California in 2011. In the United States, a law degree alone does not grant a license to practice law.

Speaking to the New York Times on Wednesday, Zacharia explained that when she began appearing on cable news, she consulted Pepperdine on how to identify herself professionally. She said the university president advised her that she could refer to herself as a lawyer, but not as an attorney.

Regarding her exchange with the reporter, Zacharia attributed the “China” response to a misunderstanding. She said she mistakenly believed the reporter had asked, “Where were you after law school?” due to the noise from Marine One.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Zacharia sat for the California bar exam following graduation but did not pass; the exam is widely considered one of the most difficult in the country. A source with direct knowledge told the outlet that she took the test while simultaneously planning a wedding and preparing to relocate to China with her fiancé.

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