§ 15. Certain acts prohibited. Every commissioner, and every person
employed or appointed to office in the department is hereby forbidden
and prohibited to solicit, suggest, request or recommend, directly or
indirectly, to any corporation or person subject to the supervision of
the commission, or to any officer, attorney, agent or employee thereof,
the appointment of any person to any office, place, position or
employment. And every such corporation and person, and every officer,
attorney, agent and employee thereof, is hereby forbidden and prohibited
to offer to any commissioner or to any person employed by the department
any office, place, appointment or position, or to offer or give to any
commissioner, or to any officer employed or appointed to office in the
department any free pass or transportation or any reduction in fare to
which the public generally are not entitled or free carriage for
property or any present, gift or gratuity of any kind. If any
commissioner or any person employed or appointed to office in the
department shall violate any provision of this section he shall be
removed from office. Every commissioner and every person employed or
appointed to office in the department shall be and be deemed to be a
public officer. Any employee or agent of the department who divulges any
confidential information which may come to his knowledge during the
course of any inspection or examination of the property, accounts,
records or memoranda of any person, corporation or municipality subject
to the jurisdiction of the commission, except insofar as he may be
directed by the commission, or by a court or judge, or authorized by
law, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.