TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback's office has confirmed that he fired the state Department of Commerce's top administrator in June partly over questions about agency contracts — an about-face after weeks of denying that the former official had been terminated.

The statement Friday from the Republican governor's office that former Commerce Secretary Antonio Soave was forced out came less than a day after The Kansas City Star published a detailed story on department contracts with Soave associates, the newspaper reported.

The Star identified at least nine Soave friends or business p...