Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen announced Friday he will not represent the state of Wisconsin in defense of the state domestic partnership registry in a lawsuit .
The suit, filed by Wisconsin Family Action earlier this month, hopes to declare the domestic partner registry unconstitutional.
Van Hollen cited the 2006 amendment to the state constitution banning same-sex marriage as justification of his decision.
""My oath isn't to the legislature or the governor. My duty is to the people of the state of Wisconsin and the highest expression of their will—the Constitution of the state of Wisconsin,"" he said in a statement.
Katie Belanger, executive director of the advocacy group Fair Wisconsin, said Fair Wisconsin is disappointed by Van Hollen's decision and will play an active role in proving the constitutionality of the domestic partnership registry
""The attorney general was elected to defend the state of Wisconsin from exactly this type of legal challenge, and we regret that he has chosen not to do so,"" she said in a statement.
On Aug. 25 Doyle appointed Madison attorney Lester Pines to defend the state in place of Van Hollen in the domestic partnership case.
