Topeka ? Atty. Gen. Phill Kline today was fined $1,500 for violating the state campaign finance law.

The Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission fined Kline for sending out solicitations for campaign contributions for a fund-raiser in February that featured former U.S. attorney general John Ashcroft.

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.

“The commission did their job,” Kline said after the commission unanimously approved the fine following a 15-minute closed-door session.

Prior to the executive session, Kline said during a hearing that the solicitation was an “honest mistake” that was commited by a political consultant that handled invitations to the Ashcroft event.

“I would agree that the mailing was a violation of the law,” he said.

Kline said once the error was realized his office self-reported the violation to the Ethics Commission.

Sabrina Standifer, chairwoman of the Ethics Commission, said the fact that Kline self-reported the violation probably was a factor in the amount of the fine. Kline had faced a maximum fine of $5,000.