New White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia Questioned Over Legal Qualifications
The Facts
- The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that new White House press secretary Katie Zacharia sat for the California bar exam after graduating from Pepperdine University's law school in 2011 but did not pass, according to a person familiar with the matter.
- At her first briefing Tuesday, Zacharia, who succeeded Karoline Leavitt, took three questions in about 15 minutes. Asked afterward on the South Lawn in which state she passed the bar exam, she replied, "When I moved to China."
- The person alleged Zacharia took the exam while planning a wedding and preparing to move to China with her future husband. She moved to Beijing and joined Zhong Lun Law Firm as an associate on its international practice team, the Journal reported. A partner in the firm has since suggested that her role was likely "similar to a paid internship."
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The Spin
Anti-Trump narrative
Years of calling oneself a lawyer without ever passing a bar exam is simple deception, and the White House podium is no place for it. After only 15 minutes in front of journalists, it is clear that Zacharia is not fit for the role and, unsurprisingly for a Trump loyalist, can't be trusted with the truth. This entire saga is yet another bleak indictment of the current administration.
Pro-Trump narrative
Nitpicking a new press secretary's hair, cadence and bar exam says more about the press corps than about the job being done. Stepping to the podium within a day of starting and breaking actual news is a confident, transparent start that deserves credit. Past press secretaries who dodged questions for months drew far gentler coverage, exposing the media elite for who they really are.
