Watchdog asks California bar to probe Trump press secretary Katie Zacharia over lawyer claims

WASHINGTON, DC: A government watchdog has asked the State Bar of California to investigate whether White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia violated state law by identifying herself as a lawyer without an active US law license. The Campaign for Accountability filed the complaint on October 14, arguing that Zacharia repeatedly presented herself as an attorney despite reports finding no evidence that she was licensed to practice law in the United States.

Zacharia graduated from Pepperdine Caruso School of Law in 2011 with a Juris Doctor (JD), an academic degree that confirms graduation from law school. However, practicing law and representing clients generally requires passing a bar exam and obtaining a license from the relevant state. The complaint comes after reports questioned Zacharia's legal credentials, including a report that she failed the California bar exam in 2011. Zacharia has said she worked in international transactional law after moving to China, while the White House has criticized the watchdog's complaint.

Watchdog cites TV appearances and California law

Campaign for Accountability, a nonpartisan nonprofit watchdog, said its October 14 complaint urged the State Bar to investigate whether Zacharia violated California Business and Professions Code Section 6126 by presenting herself as a lawyer without an active license.

The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that Zacharia failed the California bar exam in 2011 after graduating from Pepperdine University School of Law. Citing an unnamed source familiar with the matter, the newspaper reported that Zacharia took the exam while preparing for her wedding and a move to China with her future husband.

Zacharia passed the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination, which tests knowledge of legal ethics and professional conduct. However, passing this standardized test alone does not qualify someone to practice law.

Later that year, Zacharia moved to Beijing and worked as an associate at a prominent Chinese law firm, the report added. It remains unclear whether she sat for a bar exam in another state or retook the California exam after 2011.

The watchdog highlighted Zacharia's October 5 appearance on 'The Greg Kelly Show', where she said, “I'm a lawyer.”

It also cited at least 18 Fox News segments since March 2025 in which on-screen text identified her as a lawyer. The complaint further referenced her reported stint as general counsel for Fix California from January 2024 through March 2025.

The complaint also pointed to claims that Zacharia worked as outside counsel for the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation. Her LinkedIn profile listed her as an associate with the International Practice Team at Zhong Lun Law Firm in Beijing from 2011 to 2013.

Zacharia graduated from Pepperdine Caruso School of Law in 2011. However, according to Popular Information's October 13 report, searches of attorney licensing records in all 50 states and Washington, DC, found no evidence that she had ever been admitted to practice law.

The complaint asks the California bar to determine whether Zacharia's public claims and reported work for Fix California violated state law. Section 6125 prohibits anyone from practicing law without authorization.

Section 6126(a) makes it a misdemeanor to claim to practice law or have the right to do so without an active State Bar license. The penalties can include up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine. Whether the law applies to Zacharia depends on the facts established through an investigation and the statute's requirements. The complaint alone does not establish that she did anything wrong.

Zacharia cites international legal work as White House pushes back

Zacharia has cited her international legal work to explain her professional background, but the available reports have not established that she was admitted to practice law in any US state. Working overseas does not, by itself, establish that someone holds an active California law license.

Recently, Zacharia told The New York Times that she misheard a question because of the noise from Marine One. She blamed that for her comment about China.

The clarification offers context for her remarks, but the available reports do not confirm that she passed a bar exam in China or another country.

The White House stood behind Zacharia and criticized the watchdog group. Communications Director Steven Cheung called Campaign for Accountability a “radical leftist organization” in a post on X and dismissed its concerns.

When The Hill asked for comment, the White House directed the publication to Cheung's post.

Michelle Kuppersmith, executive director of Campaign for Accountability, argued that rules governing unlicensed legal practice protect the public. She called on the State Bar to examine Zacharia's credentials and professional history.

Kuppersmith said, “Ms. Zacharia has represented herself as a lawyer repeatedly to buttress her reputation and credibility as a television legal commentator and now as the White House spokesperson, yet it seems it was all a lie. In California, calling yourself a lawyer without a license isn't puffery; it's a crime.

“The State Bar should investigate whether Ms. Zacharia has misled the public about her credentials and hold her accountable if she has.”

Kuppersmith continued, “The rules against unlicensed lawyering exist to protect the public. To be meaningful, the rules must apply to people with the biggest megaphones, not just to those with no platform.”

The complaint urges the State Bar to investigate the allegations and refer any violations it finds to the Ventura County District Attorney or other prosecutors.

The available reports do not indicate whether the State Bar has responded to the complaint, opened an investigation or taken any other action. Whether Zacharia violated the law depends on the findings of regulators, not on the allegations alone.