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White House defends Katie Zacharia appointment amid questions over her legal qualifications
The White House stood by the appointment of new spokesperson Katie Zacharia as questions continued over her legal background. Campaign for Accountability asked the State Bar of California on Wednesday to investigate Zacharia.
The White House defended the appointment of new spokesperson Katie Zacharia amid controversy over her legal qualifications. U.S. President Donald Trump announced Zacharia’s appointment last week and introduced her as an attorney; Zacharia has also described herself as a lawyer.
Question over bar exam
During remarks alongside Trump on Tuesday, Zacharia responded to a reporter’s question about which state’s bar exam she had passed by saying, "When I moved to China."
Zacharia does not appear to be admitted to the bar in any of the states where she has lived. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung defended the appointment, saying Zacharia is "uniquely qualified and very intelligent" and can help keep the American people informed.
In a statement this week responding to questions about her legal qualifications, Zacharia said, "I worked in international transactional law with all the necessary qualifications."
Request to the State Bar of California
Campaign for Accountability, an advocacy group, asked the State Bar of California on Wednesday to investigate whether Zacharia had publicly represented herself as authorized to practice law without a license.
Zacharia, 42, graduated from Pepperdine University’s law school in 2011. Zacharia apparently did not pass the California bar exam and said the university president told her she could describe herself as a lawyer but could not use the title "attorney."
In the United States, graduating from law school alone does not grant permission to practice law. Zacharia took the exam while preparing for her wedding and planning to move to China with her future spouse.
China grants licenses to practice law only to Chinese citizens. Foreign employees can hold other positions at law firms.
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