Topeka ? Atty. Gen. Phill Kline faces a civil hearing Thursday before the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission.

The dispute is over solicitations for contributions to a Kline fundraiser last month.

Apparently some of the solicitations were mailed to lobbyists. State officeholders are prohibited from asking lobbyists, businesses, political action committees, political parties and unions for campaign contributions from Jan. 1 until the legislative session officially ends, which is usually in late May.

Kline’s staff members said the solicitations were made by mistake by a political consultant, and when they found out about it, they immediately reported themselves to the ethics agency.

Kline faces a maximum fine of $5,000.