Impartiality: General Principles
Impartiality, a core ethical principle, requires that government action be taken on behalf of the public, not your friends, family, colleagues, or others.
Appearances matter. If a reasonable person with knowledge of the relevant facts would question your impartiality, you may not participate in a specific party matter that would have a direct and predictable effect on the financial interest of a member of your household or when you have a covered relationship with someone who is a party or represents a party to that matter.
A specific party matter is one that involves identified parties, such as a grant, contract, application, investigation, or lawsuit, as opposed to a general matter that affects a broad class of persons or organizations.
