What are laws for?

This is an article published in the Austin American Statesman about the total amount of money paid out to lawmakers/lobbyists each year for their pension plan/retirement funds. This is money that the taxpayers of Texas pay. A group called Texans for Public Justice a watchdog group, filed a lawsuit to have the courts force the Employees Retirement System (ERS) to release the information to the public about how much is being paid out to the mere 103 former lawmakers (who are now lobbyists). The courts ruling was that it was against the law to release these records because doing so would violate a few laws and the persons collecting the retirement/pension and is confidential information not to be made public. The article also states that Rick Perry, who is officially "retired", is collecting his pension on top of the $150,000.00 salary he collects from the State for being Governor. Not even regular state employees are allowed to do this, officials say. Judge Livingston states, "I'm torn between the public's right to have the information and the privacy rights of the individuals."

So what is it with politicians, lawmakers, lobbyists, etc., the people who are supposed to be out there working for us and protecting our rights? I don't understand why they are more worried about protecting their own rights over the rights of the entire population of Texas. Why do they get reelected ever year if this is public knowledge? Seems to me that this law was passed only to protect a select few. I thought laws were passed to protect the general public.

Here is the link to the article:
Pension benefits for ex-lawmakers remain secret