§ 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.