Ethics officials at the F.C.C. said Mr. Powell's participation posed no ethical violations.
State ethics officials are reviewing the matter.
He can weigh in on Heinz with the blessing of ethics officials.
Officials said he has worked on the case since he received permission from government ethics officials.
"And the top ethics officials have advised me I should not do so".
By law, Ms. White would have to recuse herself from S.E.C. enforcement decisions involving the clients, unless she is cleared to participate by ethics officials.
While several commissioners have said they had prior approval for the trips from state ethics officials, oversight appears to have been lax.
SEC ethics officials have opined that her conflicts of interest are not unusual in scope or kind compared with those of past SEC chairmen.
Michael Powell decided not to remove himself from the review after ethics officials at the F.C.C. said his relationship to his father did not pose a regulatory problem.
But if any of those countries increases its commitment or a new country decides to contribute, the foundation will notify State Department ethics officials.
State ethics officials fined Tommy Thompson, the Health and Human Services secretary, $3,000 for not reporting an investment he made while he was governor.
