A State lawyer who tells a Governor, or sometimes even a commissioner, something s/he doesn't want to hear puts his/her career on the line.   As a general matter, the formal, publicly expressed, opinion of the Attorney General or his/her Assistants is what the Governor wants it to be.   I'm not an advocate of an elected and thus independent, sorta', AG, but I do believe the State needs a Solicitor General who serves for a prescribed term and is only removable for cause to represent the State or challenge the State in litigation without political interference.   I've framed lots of conversations with State lawyers with, "I didn't call you to ask you what to do, I called you to tell you what I was going to do and ask you how to make it legal.   State lawyers have a lot of trouble distinguishing between law and policy.