Baker served as the President of the
National Association of Attorneys General from 2006 to 2007. As Attorney General, Baker focused on initiatives to fight crime and fraud, including stronger laws against sexual predators who use the Internet to target children, laws against financial identity theft, and stronger laws against residential mortgage fraud. He also advocated for the abolition of parole for persons convicted of violent crimes, which the
Georgia General Assembly did not enact. In 2003, Baker and Governor
Sonny Perdue clashed in court, with both claiming the right to control the state's legal affairs. The controversy involved
gerrymandering, and arose when Perdue ordered Baker to drop an appeal of a case involving a legal challenge to a legislative redistricting map drawn by the Democratic legislative majority and signed into law by Perdue's Democratic predecessor,
Roy Barnes. When Baker refused to drop the appeal, Perdue sued him. The
Supreme Court of Georgia ultimately sided with Baker, ruling 5-2 that the Attorney General, as an elected constitutional officer, is independent of the Governor and has the power to control the state government's legal affairs. In 2010, Perdue and Baker clashed again when Perdue asked Baker to sue the federal government over the passage of the federal
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ("Obama Care"). Baker declined, arguing that he saw no legal basis for the suit, believed it would ultimately fail, and decrying it as "frivolous" and a "waste of taxpayer money". In response, Perdue appointed a "special" Attorney General for that purpose. Some Republican state lawmakers subsequently introduced legislation to impeach Baker for his refusal. ==2010 gubernatorial campaign==