" thus most anything they know would not be critical or material information."

Then they could give an answer, even if that answer did not convey any info that an inquirer wanted to hear. Therefore there would be no need for them to tell him to e-mail them. Politicians give such answers all the time.

E-mailing would be recommended only if they needed to get an opinion as to what to say or the question required info that they did not have and would need to pass on the e-mail to someone who could answer with know how.

I am saying that the former is more likely than the latter.