7.10—Financial interests.
(a)
(1)
A Commissioner or employee shall not engage in, directly or indirectly, a financial transaction as a result of, or primarily relying on, information obtained through his or her Commission employment.
(2)
A Commissioner or employee shall not have a direct or indirect financial interest that conflicts substantially, or appears to conflict substantially, with his or her Commission duties and responsibilities, except in cases where the Commissioner or employee makes full disclosure, and the Commissioner or employee disqualifies himself or herself from participating in any decisions, approval, disapproval, recommendation, the rendering of advice, investigation, or otherwise in any proceeding of the Commission in which the financial interest is or appears to be affected. The filing of public financial disclosure reports will constitute full disclosure for all individuals who are required to file such reports pursuant to the Ethics in Government Act. Until such time as the extent, shape and form of confidential financial disclosure reports required of employees by the Ethics in Government Act has been determined, full disclosure by an employee will require that that employee submit a written statement to the Ethics Officer disclosing the particular financial interest which conflicts substantially, or appears to conflict substantially, with the employee's duties and responsibilities.
(3)
A Commissioner or employee should disqualify himself or herself from a proceeding in which his or her impartiality might reasonably be questioned where the Commissioner or employee knows that he or she, or his or her spouse, has an interest in the subject matter in controversy or is a party to the proceeding, or any other interest that could be substantially affected by the outcome of the proceeding.
(b)
This section does not preclude a Commissioner or employee from having a financial interest or engaging in financial transactions to the same extent as a private citizen not employed by the Government provided that the activity is not prohibited by law, Executive Order 11222, or Commission regulations.