Read when i was a kid, about a European politician, back in the maybe 1700s, long time since reading the story, who was corrupt as hell, and just as popular as hell is with dying people.

He would hire, someone every now and then, to take a shot at him from hiding, and he would claim the opposition was trying to kill him, because he was standing up for the people against them.

“A politician, is the lowest life form on the face of the earth!”
General George S Patton.

He had a lot of experience with politicians.

John C Carleton

https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2018/04/26/how-false-flag-operations-are-carried-out-today.html