Government watchdog group Campaign for Accountability (CfA) has filed a complaint with the State Bar of California and requesting an investigation into newly appointed White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia for allegedly claiming to be a lawyer without a license.
The group alleges Zacharia may have violated California law by publicly identifying herself as an attorney on media outlets and acting as general counsel for conservative non-profit Fix California. Under California law and falsely claiming to be an attorney or practicing law without a license constitutes a misdemeanor punishable by fines or up to a year in jail.
A spokesperson for the State Bar confirmed there is no record of Zacharia holding a California law license under her married or maiden names. Executive Director Michelle Kuppersmith stated that falsely holding oneself out as a lawyer is a legal violation not mere exaggeration.
In response the White House Communications Director Steven Cheung dismissed the complaint, calling the CfA a "radical-leftist organization" lacking credibility.
While Zacharia holds a law degree from Pepperdine University (2011), public records show no evidence she passed a US bar exam. Asked where she passed the bar, Zacharia initially claimed it was "when I moved to China" where she previously worked on international transactions. However the Chinese law restricts legal practice to Chinese nationals.
President Donald Trump previously described Zacharia as "an attorney" when introducing her appointment. The watchdog requested regulators refer the case to law enforcement if violations are established.
