(a) Personal and substantial participation or nonpublic knowledge of a particular matter. No person who has been a member or employee of the Commission shall ever knowingly make, with the intent to influence, any communication to or appearance before the Commission in connection with any particular matter involving a specific party or parties12 in which such person, or one participating with him or her in the particular matter, participated personally and substantially, or gained nonpublic knowledge of facts thereof, while with the Commission.13
12The phrase “particular matter involving a specific party or parties” does not apply to general rulemaking, general policy and standards formulation or other similar matters. See §2637.201(c)(1) of the regulations of the Office of Government Ethics, 5 CFR 2637.201(c)(1); cf., memorandum of the Attorney General dealing with the conflict-of-interest provisions prior to amendment by the Ethics in Government Act (reproduced following 18 U.S.C. 201).
13Attention is directed to 18 U.S.C. 207(a)(1), as amended, which generally prohibits former Federal officers and employees permanently from knowingly making, with the intent to influence, any communication to or appearance before any Federal (or District of Columbia) department, agency or court, or court martial, or any officer or employee thereof, in connection with any particular matter involving a specific party or parties in which the United States (or the District of Columbia) is a party or has a direct and substantial interest and in which the former officer or employee participated personally and substantially while with the government.
(b) Particular matter under an individual's official responsibility. No person who has been a member or employee of the Commission shall, within two years after that employment has ceased, knowingly make, with the intent to influence, any communication to or appearance before the Commission in connection with a particular matter involving a specific party or parties which was actually pending under his official responsibility as a member or employee of the Commission at any time within one year prior to the termination of government service.14
14Attention is directed to 18 U.S.C. 207(a)(2), as amended. Section 207(a)(2) generally prohibits former Federal officers and employees, within two years after their Federal employment has ceased, from knowingly making, with the intent to influence, any communication to or appearance before any Federal (or District of Columbia) department, agency or court, or court martial, or any officer or employee thereof, in connection with any particular matter involving a specific party or parties in which the United States (or the District of Columbia) is a party or has a direct and substantial interest and which was actually pending under the official responsibility of the former officer or employee within one year prior to the termination of government service.
As used in paragraph (b) of this section, the term “official responsibility” has the meaning assigned to it in 18 U.S.C. 202(b), namely, the “direct administrative or operating authority, whether intermediate or final, and either exercisable alone or with others, and either personally or through subordinates, to approve, disapprove, or otherwise direct Government action.”
(c) Restrictions on former members and senior employees. A former member or employee of the Commission who occupied a “senior” position specified in 18 U.S.C. 207(c)(2), as amended, shall not within one year after such “senior” employment has ceased, knowingly make, with the intent to influence, any communication to or appearance before the Commission on behalf of any other person in connection with any matter in which such person seeks official action by the Commission.15
15Attention is directed to 18 U.S.C. 207(c), as amended, which places restrictions on the representational activities of certain senior officers and employees after their departure from a senior position. Section 207(c) generally makes it unlawful for one year after service in a “senior” position terminates for a former “senior” Federal employee to knowingly make, with the intent to influence, any communication to or appearance before an employee of a department or agency in which he served in any capacity during the one year period prior to termination from “senior” service, if that communication or appearance is on behalf of any other person (except the United States), in connection with any matter concerning which he seeks official action by that employee.
Note that the one year period is measured from the date when the employee ceases to be a senior employee, not from the termination of Government service, unless the two occur simultaneously. This provision prohibits communications to or appearances before the Government and does not prohibit “behind-the-scenes” assistance. The restriction does not require that the former employee have ever been in any way involved in the matter that is the subject of the communication or appearance. The restriction applies with respect to any matter, whether or not involving a specific party.
(d) Exceptions. The prohibitions contained in paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of this section do not apply to communications solely for the purpose of furnishing scientific or technological information if approved by the Commission or generally to giving testimony under oath or making a statement which is subject to penalty or perjury. Further, the prohibition contained in paragraph (c) of this section does not apply to an uncompensated statement in a particular area within the special knowledge of the former Commission member or employee.16
16Attention is directed to 18 U.S.C. 207(j), as amended (listing other exceptions). Self-representation is not prohibited under section 207.
(e) Reporting requirement. Any former member or employee of the Commission who, within two years after ceasing to be such, is employed or retained as the representative of any person (except the United States) in connection with a matter in which it is contemplated that he will appear before or communicate with the Commission shall, within ten days of such retainer or employment, or of the time when appearance before or communication with the Commission is first contemplated, file with the General Counsel of the Commission a statement as to the nature thereof together with any desired explanation as to why it is deemed consistent with this section. Employment of a recurrent character may be covered by a single comprehensive statement. Each such statement should include an appropriate caption indicating that it is filed pursuant to this section. The reporting requirement of this paragraph does not apply to communications incidental to court appearances in litigation involving the Commission.
(f) Definitions. As used in this section, the phrase “appearance before the Commission” means any formal or informal appearance on behalf of any person (except the United States) before the Commission, or any member or employee thereof with an intent to influence. As used in this section, the phrase “communication with the Commission” means any oral or written communication made to the Commission, or any member or employee thereof, on behalf of any person (except the United States) with an intent to influence.
(g) Advisory ruling. Persons in doubt as to the applicability of this section may apply for an advisory ruling by addressing a letter requesting such a ruling to the General Counsel.
(h) Procedures for administrative enforcement of statutory restrictions on post-government employment conflicts of interest17—
(1) Scope. The provisions of this paragraph prescribe procedures for administrative enforcement of the restrictions which 18 U.S.C. 207 (a), (b), and (c), as amended, place on appearances before or communications with Federal (and District of Columbia) departments, agencies and courts, and other enumerated entities, as well as the officers and employees thereof, by former Commission members and employees.
17This section does not apply to employees who leave service after December 31, 1990.
(2) Investigations. The General Counsel of the Commission, or his or her designee, shall conduct such investigations as he or she deems appropriate to determine whether any former Commission member or employee have violated 18 U.S.C. 207 (a), (b) or (c), as amended. The General Counsel shall report the results of his or her investigations to the Commission and shall recommend to the Commission such action as he or she deems appropriate.
(3) Hearings. Hearings required to be held under the provisions of this section shall be held before an Administrative Law Judge, utilizing the procedures prescribed by the Commission's rules of practice for adjudicatory proceedings (17 CFR part 10), except to the extent that those rules are inconsistent with the provisions of this section. Any proceeding brought under the provisions of this section shall be prosecuted by the General Counsel or his or her designee.
(4) Sanctions. If the Commission finds, after notice and opportunity for a hearing, that a former Commission member or employee has violated 18 U.S.C. 207 (a), (b) or (c), as amended, the Commission may prohibit that person from making, on behalf of any other person (except the United States), any formal or informal appearance before, or with the intent to influence any oral or written communication to, the Commission on a pending matter of business for a period not to exceed five years, or may take other appropriate disciplinary action.
[58 FR 52658, Oct. 12, 1993; 58 FR 58593, Nov. 2, 1993]
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