Investigate Trump's Fake Lawyer Scandal

Donald Trump just appointed a White House press secretary who calls herself a lawyer — but reportedly failed the bar exam and has never been licensed to practice law in the United States.

Katie Zacharia has repeatedly described herself as an attorney on national television, worked as general counsel for a Trump-aligned organization, and was even introduced by Trump as an attorney. But a bombshell Wall Street Journal investigation revealed that Zacharia took the California bar exam after graduating from law school in 2011 — and failed.

Now the watchdog group Campaign for Accountability has filed a formal complaint demanding that the State Bar of California investigate whether Zacharia violated state law by falsely representing herself as a licensed attorney. The California Bar must take these allegations seriously.

Tell the State Bar of California: Investigate Katie Zacharia's legal credentials and determine whether she violated state law by misrepresenting herself as an attorney.

Having a law degree is not the same as being licensed to practice law. California law prohibits people from falsely presenting themselves as authorized attorneys. Those rules exist to protect the public from deception and ensure that people providing legal services meet professional standards.

Yet Zacharia has repeatedly used her supposed legal expertise to bolster her credibility as a political commentator. She also served as general counsel for Fix California, a conservative organization founded by Trump ally Ric Grenell. Whether any of her activities crossed the line into unlawful conduct deserves serious scrutiny.

When reporters asked Zacharia where she passed the bar exam, she responded that she became an attorney when she moved to China. But working overseas does not automatically grant someone a license to practice law in California.

Add your name now and demand that the California Bar investigate Trump's press secretary. No one should be above the rules that protect the public — especially someone serving in the White House.

The petition to the State Bar of California reads:

"Launch a thorough investigation into White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia's representations about her legal credentials, including whether she violated California law by holding herself out as an attorney without a license or engaging in unauthorized legal practice. Follow the evidence, take appropriate enforcement action if violations are established, and uphold the same professional standards for everyone, regardless of political connections."