Complaint Filed Against White House Press Secretary Over Legal Credentials

A watchdog group, the Campaign for Accountability, filed a complaint with the State Bar of California on October 14, 2026, requesting an investigation into whether White House press secretary Katie Zacharia practiced law without a license. The complaint follows a report from Popular Information, which indicated that Zacharia, a California resident, has never been admitted to practice law in any U.S. state or the District of Columbia. According to the complaint, state bar directories typically retain records of inactive, suspended, and disbarred attorneys, and Zacharia’s absence from these databases suggests she was never admitted at all. The complaint states, "If that reporting is accurate, Ms. Zacharia has repeatedly held herself out to the public as entitled to practice law without a license to do so, conduct California law treats as a crime." In California, misrepresenting oneself as an attorney is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in county jail or a fine of up to $1,000. The complaint alleges that Zacharia has presented herself as an attorney at least four times this year through various media appearances. It notes that each representation implies she is a licensed attorney entitled to practice law. During an appearance outside the White House with President Donald Trump, Zacharia reportedly responded to a question about where she passed the bar exam by saying, "When I moved to China." Zacharia’s LinkedIn profile indicates she served as general counsel to Fix California, a nonprofit promoting conservative policies, from January 2024 to March 2025, and was an associate at Zhong Lun Law Firm in Beijing from August 2011 to June 2013. However, China does not allow foreign nationals to take its national bar examination or practice Chinese law. Zacharia has not held a full-time legal position since then and graduated from Pepperdine University Law School in 2011. A law degree alone does not qualify someone to practice law in California, where graduates must pass the state bar exam and meet other requirements for admission. The Campaign for Accountability is urging the State Bar of California to investigate whether Zacharia violated sections 6125 and 6126 of the California Business and Professions Code. Michelle Kuppersmith, the organization’s executive director, stated, "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."