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A watchdog group is calling for an investigation into new White House press secretary Katie Zacharia over her claims of being an attorney. The Campaign for Accountability filed a complaint with the California State Bar Association, demanding a probe into whether Zacharia has misrepresented herself as a lawyer. According to The Washington Times, Zacharia has repeatedly claimed to be a lawyer, but investigations found no evidence of her being licensed to practice law in any state.
The complaint alleges that Zacharia's conduct could be considered a crime under California law, which prohibits individuals from holding themselves out as lawyers without a license. Zacharia, who graduated from Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law in 2011, stated she passed the bar exam when she moved to China. However, legal regulations in China prohibit foreign nationals from taking the national bar exam or holding a formal Chinese lawyer’s license.
Zacharia's professional status came under scrutiny shortly after her first day on the job as the White House press secretary. She has previously worked as an associate at a law firm in Beijing and held the title of general counsel for the conservative nonprofit Fix California, as noted in her LinkedIn profile.
The Rachel Maddow Show reported that Zacharia's claims of being a lawyer were used to bolster her credibility as a television legal commentator and now as the White House spokesperson. The Campaign for Accountability has requested that the State Bar of California conduct a thorough investigation and, if necessary, refer Zacharia to prosecutors.