White House Press Secretary's Claim of Passing Bar Exam in China Sparks Questions
Katie Zacharia's response to a reporter's question about her legal qualifications has drawn scrutiny regarding her training and credentials.
New White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia has faced mounting questions about her legal qualifications after responding to a reporter's inquiry about where she passed her bar exam.
When asked by a reporter about her credentials, particularly where she passed her bar exam, Zacharia stated, "When I moved to China." This response has led to further scrutiny regarding her legal training and whether she has falsely claimed to be an attorney.
Zacharia, 41, was appointed to replace Karoline Leavitt as White House press secretary last week. Donald Trump announced her appointment, describing her as a "distinguished Graduate of Pepperdine University, and the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, an attorney, and a frequent Commentator on outlets, including Fox News and Newsmax."
However, searches of California's state bar website and attorney directories in other U.S. states and territories have not listed Zacharia as having passed a bar exam, a prerequisite to becoming a licensed attorney in the U.S. Newsletter author Judd Legum has publicly questioned if Zacharia has violated laws by misrepresenting her qualifications.
Under current regulations, bar exams are administered in person within the United States. It remains unclear how Zacharia could have taken a U.S. bar exam while in China.
Legum commented on social media, stating, "To be clear, there is zero chance Zacharia took the Chinese bar exam. She doesn't speak Chinese and only Chinese citizens can take it."
While Zacharia has stated she speaks some Mandarin and previously mentioned practicing it in conversations, the Chinese legal exam is exclusively for Chinese citizens.
Zacharia lived and worked in Beijing for approximately two to three years after graduating from Pepperdine University's law school. She was employed at the Zhong Lun Law Firm from August 2011 to June 2014. Her husband, Tyler Zacharia, also worked in Beijing during that period for a private equity firm.
In a statement to the Daily Mail, Zacharia said, "I practiced international transaction law, with all the appropriate credentials." Her LinkedIn profile indicates she has served as general counsel for the conservative group Fix California and claimed to be outside counsel for the World Bank Group and the International Finance Corporation.