This is actually something thats the case in quite a few countries around the world. If you think about it, the president can sign some laws into action, just by giving his signature. He can sign off on extralegal killings (as we just saw in action) in the US, but more importantly - in concept, he might have to decide on stuff thats important for the nation, but might leave him compromised in the eyes of the law.
Diplomatic immunity also is something that exists and does not only apply to the POTUS, f.e.
Certain state agencies (secret services community) are entirely above the law. If you think about James Clapper lying to the Nation, under oath, in a state hearing - and recusing himself with "this was the least untrithfull I could be" - has to fear no legal consequences for his actions.
Usually how those instances are supposed to work is, that you have again, a political committee that gets briefed in secrecy, and that can prevent or sign off on some stuff, or a publicly elected figure (think president), that has to sign off some of the stuff they do.
So - if you make 'the law' or are supposed to act on the fringes of it there are some political positions, that - while acting in an official capacity are meant to be above the law. To make sure, they arent easily compromised. (Think, f.e. extortion.) To make sure that they don't abuse their power, you make them accountable by other means of checks and balances.
Even if they do something stupid - in the interest of the nation, you put what they said (protocol) onto a different, classified, server (as we've learned in this case) - or you rewrite the official transcript of the call to be less damaging (public perception around the world). In the olden days, you would have signed off on that 'document of record' to be classified for 50 years, and no one would have been any wiser. (And then denounced anyone who blew the whistle as a spy) As a journalist for example, you could ask the government through freedom of information requests to hand over such protocols (if you know they exist), but if they are still classified, you wont even be told that they exist, or get any response - you simply would be ignored. Now - usually, all that stuff is on protocol (someone, somewhere puts it in writing), and will be released 50 years, maybe a 100 years post facto for 'public consumption' (think Nixon tapes
). But there are ways to even meddle with that, f.e. taking those documents and putting it in your 'presidential' private library (usually a fund financed vehicle), and then you have more control over it... Stuff like that.
The long and short of it is, that yes - a select few people are above the law, when acting within the capacity of their job. And to keep them honest you have 'councils of their peers' (political instruments), and public 'rituals' to allow for public pressure.
