A phrase use to denote that a person is trying to make others follow rules without having to follow them themselves.
Jane apparently has a rules for thee and not for me type of logic regarding her staff fucking the retards in her group home because she's trying to bully me into following the rules why simultaneously protect Kendra from having to follow them. Kendra complains about me not doing my job but she's fucking the retard and only works if I leave it all my work for the child murderer. Rules for thee and not for me I guess.
Usually a phrase said when cops abuse their power doing things as if they're above the law, it's a saying when someone believes they have authority over the law to do whatever they want.
Person 1: "holy shit... did you see that cop just blow through that red light?"
Person 2: "rules for thee but not for me"
Someone imposing rules on others while consciously breaking them themselves, like telling someone to stop doing something mean to them while doing the same mean thing to many others seconds ago.