The new White House press secretary, Katie Zacharia, is under scrutiny after reportedly claiming she passed the bar exam when she moved to China. The California State Bar says it has no record of her being licensed, which raised immediate questions about the claim. Her response? She told The New York Times she misheard the question over the sound of Marine One and thought she was being asked where she was after law school.
Reports indicate she did not pass the California bar exam after earning her law degree from Pepperdine, though she has described herself as a lawyer and was referred to as an attorney by President Trump. What makes this story even more interesting is that a law license isn’t required to serve as press secretary. So the credential she supposedly claimed was never a job requirement in the first place.
Her first briefing lasted just 14 minutes and included questions from three outlets, a notably short debut. Whether this becomes a passing blip or a lasting credibility question likely depends on how she handles the podium going forward. With so much attention on the briefing room, one thing is clear: honesty and qualifications will stay part of the conversation whether she wants them to or not.
Do you think the misheard-over-Marine-One explanation holds up? Sound off in the comments.
About the Author
Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.