Yes, Kamala Harris Did Fail the Bar Exam, but Only On Her First Attempt

Some standardized tests have absolute brutal reputations. The MCAT is known for being a cruel mistress, and so is the Bar examination for folks interested in pursuing a career in law. But was it so difficult that even Kamala Harris failed it?

Notably, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy Jr., Governor Pete Wilson, and Hillary Clinton are among the famous names who took—and failed—the Bar exam, according to Buzzfeed News, so it’s certainly plausible. However, to be fair, let’s examine how many times Kamala Harris took the bar exam and how many times she failed.

Passing the Bar is no joke. In fact, 24.9 percent of people who take the test, on average, fail, including Kamala and Michelle Obama.

ABA for Law Students published a story in 2017 highlighting Kamala's first-time failure in taking the test to stress just how difficult it is to study for and ultimately pass the exam.

The piece includes some encouraging language to law students stressing out over the test, pointing to Kamala as a source of inspiration. Samuel Cheng wrote an op-ed piece on how declining Bar passing rates are adversely affecting law students and highlighted the former LA District attorney as an example of Bar passage not always equaling real-life success.

He wrote: "If U.S. Senator Kamala Harris, former Dean of Stanford Law School Kathleen Sullivan, and two California Governors Jerry Brown and Pete Wilson could not pass on their first try but were widely successful as California’s attorney general, a top law school dean, and governors of our great state, what does that say of the Bar?"

He could have also included the fact that John F. Kennedy Jr. failed the exam twice, as did Franklin D. Roosevelt, Ed Koch, Richard M. Daley, Anthony Scaramucci, Deval Patrick, Charlie Crist, Pat Robertson, and Hillary Clinton. Many of them were notable political and public figures who served in some of the highest positions in the United States government.

Kamala flunked the bar exam once but passed on her second attempt, so she only took the grueling test twice. While ABA for Law Students cited her and the other aforementioned names as inspiration for those who are stressing out about the exam, critics point to her initial failure as further evidence of her "incompetence" as a Vice President—and by extension, as a 2024 presidential candidate.

In addition to questioning her abilities, Harris has faced criticism for imprisoning young black males from lower-income neighborhoods on petty marijuana charges, while laughing herself about smoking weed. Many have also decried her time in office in Los Angeles for intentionally extending non-violent prisoners' sentences who provided cheap labor while incarcerated.

Shade was also being cast on the VP pick for the $120,000 patronage job (it was $70,000 at the time, but adjusted for inflation today) she received at 30 years of age with the California Medical Assistance Commission in 1994. It was reportedly arranged by then-boyfriend Willie Brown, who was 60 years old at the time. She was the youngest appointed member of the commission, who reportedly met twice a month to oversee "the payment of insurance providers for state-subsidized MediCal recipients."

As with any person involved in a high-profile election, their names are ultimately going to get dragged through the mud. Every bit of their past is going to come to light, and 2024 presidential candidate Kamala is no exception. Don't be surprised if more chapters of her past are used as ammunition from political foes.

Election Day is Nov. 5, 2024, so be sure to register to vote at vote.gov and head to your state’s board of elections for details on requesting a mail-in or absentee ballot.