After Criticism and Doubts, White House Defends Its New Spokesperson

The White House came out to defend its new spokesperson, Katie Zakharia, following reports that questioned her qualifications and revealed she failed the California bar exam, while a watchdog organization called for an investigation into whether she practiced law without a license.

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said she is "uniquely qualified and extremely smart to help deliver information to the American people."

US President Donald Trump described Zakharia as a lawyer when announcing her appointment last week, and she had previously identified herself with the same title.

The controversy over her qualifications arose from a question posed by a journalist on Tuesday about which state she passed the bar exam required to practice law in the United States. Standing next to Trump, she replied: "When I moved to China."

Zakharia does not appear to be registered with any state bar association where she has lived.

In response to questions about her qualifications, she said in a statement this week: "I have practiced international transactional law, possessing all necessary qualifications."

Zakharia told the US newspaper "The New York Times" on Wednesday that she asked Pepperdine University administration how she should identify herself when she began appearing on television news channels.

She added that the university president told her she could describe herself as a "lawyer," but not as a "licensed attorney."

She clarified to the newspaper that her answer of "China" to the bar exam question was due to a misunderstanding; she mistakenly believed, because of noise from Air Force One, that the journalist was asking: "Where were you after law school?"

On Wednesday, the watchdog organization "Campaign for Accountability" filed a complaint with the State Bar of California, demanding an investigation into whether Zakharia repeatedly suggested to the public that she was authorized to practice law without a license, conduct considered a crime under state law.

Zakharia is 42 years old and graduated from Pepperdine University School of Law in California in 2011, according to the university.

A law degree in the United States does not automatically grant its holder a license to practice law.

According to the US newspaper "The Wall Street Journal," Zakharia took the California bar exam after graduating from law school but failed it.

The newspaper quoted a person directly familiar with the matter stating that Zakharia took the exam during the same period she was preparing for her wedding and planning to move to China with her future husband.

The new White House spokesperson moved to Beijing due to her husband's work at a US private equity firm, stating she worked there in the field of "international transactional law."

Her LinkedIn profile indicates she worked as an associate attorney at Chung Long Law Firm in Beijing between 2011 and 2013.

In China, obtaining a license to practice law is restricted to Chinese citizens, while foreign employees can work in other roles at law firms.

In February, Zakharia stated on the conservative radio show "The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show" that she worked as legal counsel during her time in China.

She also served as outside counsel for Fix the Court, a non-profit organization founded by former Supreme Court clerk Mark Paoletta, according to the group's website.