Washington ? Westar Energy Inc., two former company executives and a lobbyist agreed to pay fines totaling $40,500 to settle accusations of violating federal election laws by using corporate resources to make political contributions to members of Congress, including House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.

The contributions were made by top former Westar executives who used company personnel and resources to collect and distribute the contributions during the 2002 election cycle. Thirteen Westar executives contributed $32,700 in response to solicitations from the executives, the Federal Election Commission said in documents released Thursday.

Under the agreement, Westar will pay a $20,000 civil penalty. Douglass Lawrence, former vice president for public affairs, agreed to pay $8,500; former chief administrative officer Carl M. Koupal Jr. agreed to pay $7,000; and the company’s outside lobbyist Richard Bornemann agreed to pay $5,000.

Westar’s own attorneys alerted the Federal Election Commission to the possible violations by the company’s former officers. Their November 2003 complaint said none of the officers whose activities were in question were still with the company.