He believes it, but I think he's making a personal exception due to the dangerous state of the Union.
Exactly! When Socrates was sentenced to death by a corrupt Athenian administration, he chose death, because he believed in the higher upholding of the law, even though the law was corrupted by the administration.
Although I understand, Socrates’, commitment to the higher ideal, it was wrong headed for him to sacrifice his life. He would have far better served his city had he lived to fight the corruption.