U.S. ATTORNEY RESIGNS, MAY RUN FOR STATE POSITION

MADISON - U.S. Attorney J.B. Van Hollen announced his resignation
Tuesday, saying he might consider a run for state attorney general.

President Bush appointed Van Hollen as U.S. attorney of the 44-county
Western District of Wisconsin in 2002. Van Hollen, 38, a native of
Bayfield, said he's done everything he wants to do as U.S. attorney
and plans to go into private practice.

Van Hollen has served as district attorney in Ashland and Bayfield
counties.

He said he hasn't ruled out running against state Attorney General Peg
Lautenschlager in 2006. Lautenschlager, a Democrat, was arrested for
drunken driving last year and is battling breast cancer.

Van Hollen is planning to speak at noon today during the Superior
Rotary Club luncheon at Embers Restaurant to make a presentation on
the Patriot Act and law enforcement priorities.

Van Hollen said he is most proud of his methamphetamine prosecutions,
saying when he came on board local law enforcement agencies said they
needed help stopping the drug's proliferation in western Wisconsin.

He said he was especially proud of a joint federal, state and local
investigation into drug use and gang violence on the Lac Courte
Oreilles American Indian Reservation in Sawyer County. So far, 26
people have been sentenced to prison as a result of that investigation
and two more are awaiting trial in March.

Van Hollen's resignation takes effect Jan. 31.