Trump press secretary Zacharia has no US bar licence on record
Trump's press secretary Katie Zacharia says she passed the bar "when I moved to China" but has no US license.
Katie Zacharia describes herself as a lawyer but has no public record of ever being licensed in any US state where she lived. After her first press briefing on Tuesday, a reporter asked Trump which state Zacharia passed the bar in.
Zacharia replied: "when I moved to China". Zacharia's law degree from Pepperdine University in 2011 is real, but a degree is not a licence.
The California State Bar said it has no record of her being registered. She worked at a Beijing law firm from 2011 to 2013, but China does not licence foreign nationals as lawyers.
A watchdog group filed a complaint asking California to investigate whether she broke state law by calling herself a lawyer.
Why it mattersCalling yourself a lawyer without a licence is a crime in California carrying fines and jail time, raising questions about vetting in the Trump administration.
AustraliaNo direct Australian effect, but highlights credential standards in US government.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 3 h ago
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