Katie Zacharia, the new White House press secretary, revealed on Thursday that she did not pass the California bar exam, a prerequisite for practice. Her admission came amid growing scrutiny after she listed herself as a lawyer on television and social media, and as the general counsel of a California‑based conservative nonprofit.
In a Fox News interview, host Sean Hannity asked if she had ever taken the bar twice; she answered no, citing family demands and plans to relocate to China with her husband. She explained that she had registered for the exam but was overwhelmed by personal commitments, and that she never intended to practice law, though she could offer legal analysis.
California law treats the unauthorized use of the title "lawyer" as a crime, and the Campaign for Accountability has called on the California Bar Association to investigate her credentials. The organization warned that labeling herself a lawyer without a license is not mere puffery but a statutory offence.
The investigation, if launched, could force Zacharia to clarify her role or face legal consequences, while the White House may need to address the credibility gap created by her admission. Meanwhile, her predecessor, Karoline Leavitt, stepped down in August to care for her children, leaving a short‑lived press briefing behind.