Comment by Animats

Suggested reading: "The Annihilation Score", by Charles Stross. This is the latest in the Laundry series, about a unit of the British government which deals with paranormal problems. They have to deal with someone who calls himself "The Mandate". He has the power to make anyone around him believe what he says, and he has political ambitions. (He can make people believe him. But the CCTV/face recognition system isn't fooled, and he's caught.)