While QI isn't codified in the way you're talking about, Congress and the states do have laws on the books to expose themselves to liability. That's where QI comes from - as an extension of statutory authority to hold the government legally liable. When and how the government and its agents are exposed to liability is very clearly spelled out.
Very early supreme court opinions took a nearly absolutist position on private right of action against the government being barred under the doctrine of sovereign immunity. The court has slowly backed away from that position over time.
Flagging for egregious rule-breaking, whatever- but just because someone farmed fake points off the TOP sort, they can go around effectively muting people for sometimes no reason at all.
I've often wondered about scraping HN for dead/flagged comments and see how many were actually throughout, insightful comments vs how many were just trollbait/flaming.
I just feel it may be a case of throwing the baby out with the bath water.
Maybe today will be the day, but shit that's a whole lot of comments to collate, sort and read. Every time I see a grey comment though....