MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen says he stands by his decision not to defend Wisconsin’s domestic partner registry even though it was one of the toughest he has made in office. The Wisconsin Supreme Court said Thursday that the registry giving limited benefits to same-sex couples does not violate the state’s constitutional ban on gay marriage. Van Hollen says that despite the court’s unanimous decision, he still believes the registry is unconstitutional. The gay rights organization, Fair Wisconsin, intervened and successfully defended the law against a challenge by Julaine Appling, the head of the conservative group Wisconsin Family Action.
