Standing up

Kudos, Mr. Van Hollen.

Republican Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen is offering a passionate defense of his conservative credentials, responding to critics in his party.

Some want him to issue legal opinions tailored to conservative views, he says. But people who focus on single issues – such as abortion, guns and business regulation – are missing the larger picture of “guiding principles,” he said Saturday.

"There are too many in both parties who stand for issues, not philosophies," Van Hollen told a big gathering of conservatives at the Americans for Prosperity summit in Pewaukee on Saturday.

Van Hollen explained that even if he disagrees with a law on the books, his job is to offer a legal opinion when controversies arise, not a personal opinion. He accused his predecessor, Democrat Peg Lautenschlager, of injecting her personal politics into the job. While it may appear he is not acting as a conservative, Van Hollen said his philosophy is actually true to the “first principles” of conservatism: limited government, local control and individual responsibility. “I can’t abrogate my duties,” he said. After his address, he told a reporter that if voters didn't like his approach, they will vote him out of office. But he said he has to be true to his philosophy.

Kudos.