It has been said that the political left never sleeps. It has also been said that money never sleeps. Be that as it may, hold those notions and their relationships in mind as MHProNews dives into the latest from attorney, professor, and self-proclaimed socialist Fran Quigley’s latest emailed missive that will be provided in Part I of this report. Added facts, evidence, and analysis (FEA) are found in Part II.
Note that in his email shown in Part I, attorney and professor Quigley specifically cites: “Kentucky mobile home parks” in his email below. The video he wrote about is part of the added information with industry expert provided analysis found in Part II.
Note too in Part II that whistleblower payouts could be earned by some in MHVille for certain tips to public officials that result in successful legal efforts against certain illicit and illegal behavior.
As will be demonstrated, there are reasons to believe that the video Quigley linked may be referencing a prominent Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) linked member brand.
For newcomers and longer time readers alike, MHProNews notes that this publication has previously reached out to directly engage with Quigley, who has apparently declined direct comment or response. In our industry expert and editorial view, Quigley has raised some interesting observations from time-to-time, including in his message dated today. But Quigley does so in a manner that may involve paltering in service of his often clearly stated agendas. Per left-leaning Wikipedia, here is their definition of paltering.
Note that Quigley published a book called “Religious Socialism,” which has been briefly described as follows.
Fran Quigley tells a new story of religion and socialism in this country.
According to an interview with the Maryknoll Society about that book.
Fran Quigley is a former journalist, now teaching as professor at Indiana University McKinney School of Law, where he directs the Health and Human Rights Clinic. He is an active member of the Religion and Socialism Working Group of the Democratic Socialists of America, where he contributes to and helps edit their blog and podcast.
So, it is Quigley who has tried to link his Socialist thinking to religious beliefs. With that understanding, from Exodus 20:16.
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” (RSV)
A “false witness” is false or misleading testimony. Jesus said that everyone (Luke 10:29) is our neighbor. To be against something is the opposite of being for something. So, to be against your neighbor in this context can be understood as to misleading or deceiving others in a malicious fashion.
Barbara Sande shared the following insight from HeavenOnWheels.org.
Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash
“These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. …” 1 John 2:26 NASB 1995 and the following also from Sande.
Let’s do a word study! The word deceive comes from the Greek word πλανάω or planáō, with the following Biblical usages; Strong’s G4105 is used 39 times in the New Testament:
- to cause to stray, to lead astray, lead aside from the right way
- to go astray, wander, roam about
- metaph.
- to lead away from the truth, to lead into error, to deceive
- to be led into error
- to be led aside from the path of virtue, to go astray, sin
- to sever or fall away from the truth
- of heretics
- to be led away into error and sin
For those unfamiliar with Quigley’s self-proclaimed socialist positions, the following article can be useful.
Let’s note the following about socialism before pivoting to Quigley’s most recent email.
Let’s note that many if not most Christians would reject Quigley’s strained effort to turn Jesus and biblical teaching into an endorsement of socialism. Yet it is Karl Marx who believed in the “abolition” of private property under the guise of socialism.
Integral to Marx’s vision is the abolition of private property, which he considered a source of social inequality and oppression.
Quigley has previously directly addressed vexing issues in the manufactured home industry. With that background, here is Quigley’s email to MHProNews. The views are his and do not represent the views of MHProNews.
Part I Per Fran Quigley’s email of 5.2.2025
Our Housing Crisis on Video, Part 2
Still image from “But I Have Hope As I’m Organizing”: A Movement for Tenant Power
Two years ago, I shared the post Our Housing Crisis on Video. Any teacher can relate to the genesis of that post. My students have to listen to me talk way too much in our classroom sessions, not to mention in our court and client work. They often have to read my articles or book excerpts, too. So I work to include some other voices and sources in our discussions, especially short videos.
To supplement the five housing videos I shared in May, 2023, here are five more.
“How Do We Pay for It?” Anyone who argues for dramatically more and better public housing and universal access to housing vouchers needs to address this question. Fortunately, there is a silver bullet to be found in redirecting the enormous housing subsidies we already provide to corporate landlords and the wealthiest homeowners. I lay that response out in some detail in this article . For a quicker review, former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich provides a six-minute “What if We Actually Taxed the Rich?” discussion here. (Reich is also a good follow on social media: he puts time and effort into creating brief, accessible policy arguments.)
The Humanity of the Unhoused. “Lead Me Home” is a 40-minute documentary from 2021 available here with a Netflix subscription. Unhoused people tell their own stories and the camera accompanies some of them on their workdays and their time sleeping in shelters, encampments, and cars. The film does not pretend to offer prescriptions, but the humanity of our homeless sisters and brothers is laid out here, often in painfully honest depictions.
Homelessness is a Housing Problem. I had the privilege of raving about University of Washington professor Gregg Colburn’s and data journalist Clayton Alderman’s terrific book, Housing is a Homelessness Problem. The bottom line, as the title suggests: availability and affordability of housing is the reason for homelessness–not mental illness, drug use, etc. You can order the book here. But Colburn is also a compelling teacher and speaker, so you can hear him describe the research and conclusions in this 17-minute video.
Our Ongoing Legacy of Sanctioned Housing Racism. Richard Rothstein’s Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America is the go-to description about sanctioned and enforced housing racism and the devastating effects that continue to this day. I have written about that topic myself in a three-part series of articles. Rothstein himself narrates a 17-minute video, Segregated by Design, that tells the story about how our federal, state and local governments used law and policy to unconstitutionally segregate every major metropolitan area in America.
Tenant Union Power! I have written many times about the inspiring tenant union movement in the U.S. , including here, here, and here. In case you missed it, I have in the past shouted out a powerful 11-minute video following the fights—and wins—of the Louisville Tenants Union and Not Me We in Chicago, both part of the Tenant Union Federation. The video, “But I Have Hope As I’m Organizing”: A Movement for Tenant Power, features tenant leaders and organizers working for justice in settings ranging from Chicago buildings to Kentucky mobile home parks.
Please share your ideas for other good video sources in the comments here or email me at quigley2@iu.edu. I will thank you, as will future students!
Part II – Additional Information with More MHProNews Analysis and Commentary
In no particular order of importance are the following facts-evidence-analysis (FEA) points with related observations.
1) Quigley cited Robert Reich. Reich has been previously cited by MHProNews on several occasions. Keep in mind that Reich, like Quigley, is a leftist and who apparently uses paltering methods from time to time in his speaking, writing, and videos. So, Reich and Quigley may make a statement that is true but then may omit other relevant information that makes their ‘true’ remark slyly misleading. Harvard and Stanford Universities, the American Psychological Association, and psychology professor Tom Stafford others have reported on this phenomenon. Paltering is used by politicians, business leaders, and others as a crafty method of hooking yet misleading others.
2) Among Reich’s themes is that the system is rigged (true enough, per surveys, as it is the view of some 70 percent of the population).
3) Part of what Reich and Quigley arguably fail to clearly articulate is this. It is often among the very wealthy people – billionaires like Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and others – who support leftist causes, leftist platforms, and leftist politicos. To illustrate the point, consider this Q&A will left-leaning Bing’s (Microsoft linked and thus linked to Bill Gates) artificial intelligence (AI) powered Copilot. The inquiry is from MHProNews. The response is from Copilot, which linked its results as shown. Note that recently, the cut-and-paste function has not readily captured the footnotes and hotlinks from Copilot, so those are edited in.
Copilot, let’s pivot to a different but potentially related topic. Is it fair to say that Warren Buffett, William “Bill” Gates III, Mark Zuckerberg and other billionaires have often supported through donations, nonprofits, and other means politicos and platforms that are left-leaning in the U.S.? Link results.
For example:
- Warren Buffett has donated billions to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which supports global health, education, and poverty alleviation efforts.
- Bill Gates has backed initiatives related to climate change, education reform, and public health, often aligning with Democratic policy priorities.
- Mark Zuckerberg, through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, has funded education and criminal justice reform efforts, some of which align with progressive causes.
You can explore more details here. Would you like to dive deeper into specific donations or policy impacts?
- 1) https://www.forbes.com.au/news/billionaires/americas-most-generous-philanthropists-2025/
- 2) https://www.forbes.com/sites/kerryadolan/2025/04/29/giving-pledge-signers-on-why-the-15-year-old-group-still-matters/
- 3) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Giving_Pledge
4) A follow up with Q&A Copilot, both on this date.
Robert Reich is associated with the political or “progressive” left, isn’t that correct? Isn’t it accurate to say that left-leaning donors have supported his messaging in speaking, video, or written formats for years? And hasn’t MHProNews periodically reported on Reich and those links to the left, which have included billionaires like Buffett, Gates, Zuckerberg or others
Regarding donor support, left-leaning donors have indeed backed Reich’s messaging through various means, including funding his nonprofit Inequality Media, which produces educational content on economic and social issues. Billionaires such as Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg have historically supported progressive causes, and their philanthropic efforts often align with Reich’s policy positions.
MHProNews has periodically reported on Reich and his connections to left-leaning donors, including figures like Buffett, Gates, and Zuckerberg. Their coverage has examined how these billionaires influence political discourse and economic policy through donations and advocacy.
You can explore more details here and here. Would you like to dive deeper into specific instances of donor influence on Reich’s work?
5) The video Quigley cited that mentioned “Kentucky mobile home parks” is the one posted below. Note that while some of the leaders of such movements may be engaged in paltering or other deceptive behavior, that doesn’t necessarily mean that their followers and members are similarly deceptive. Notice that the video shows a speaker with a megaphone who is reading prepared remarks.
a) The video above opens with shots from a Louisville, KY “mobile home park,” but it is perhaps better known as a manufactured home community.
b) For whatever reason(s), the producers of this video opted not to name the firms being blasted by this video.
c) But KY is one of several states where Nathan Smith linked Flagship Communities operates. Smith personally told this writer for MHProNews that they own several communities in the Louisville area.
d) Smith is a higher profile Democrat and Smith is anti-Trump (see evidence of both linked below). Smith’s previously named business operation (SSK Communities, later rebranded as Flagship and then it went public) has faced specific and similar allegations before from his residents, which have made regional and national reports for problematic behavior. Kentucky Manufactured Housing Institute (KMHI), an MHI state affiliate, as well as MHI itself have given Smith’s operations ‘awards’ despite the fact that his firm has long had dreadful Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings. One of the statements made in the video above at about the 9.19 mark is that ‘we are organizing for rent regulation across this country and we will win.’ That should beg the question: win what and against whom?
e) The video is dated and has the introductory comments shown below.
May 28, 2024Tenants across the country are organizing local, state, and national campaigns to win better conditions in their homes and stop egregious rent hikes. In April 2024, tenants won a national 10% limit to rent increases in rental properties financed with federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), limiting rent increases for over a million low-income tenants.
f) Which means in part that it was produced during the Biden-Harris (D) years.
g) The video mentions the FHFA as the federal regulator of the Government Sponsored Enteprises (GSEs) of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. A coalition of often progressive linked nonprofit groups appealed to the Biden-Harris (D) era FHFA to compel Fannie and Freddie to provide the legally mandated “Duty to Serve” support that Congress enacted in a widely bipartisan way to compel lower cost financing, including chattel financing, for HUD Code manufactured homes. Despite leftists appealing to a leftist, the Biden-Harris (D) era appeal was ignored. That coalition letter is found in the article posted below and included at least two known Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) member firms. But MHI itself was not a party to the letter. All of those factual points are relevant.
h) So, while it is unclear if Flagship owns the specific community shown in that video, it is possible that they or another Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) member firm are the owner/operator of the property that is featured in that video linked by Quigley.
i) Indeed, it appears that units associated with MHI were all among the firms spotlighted by left-leaning John Oliver’s viral, but misnamed, “Mobile Homes” video. Which should logically beg the question. Isn’t it obvious that MHI’s so-called code of ethical conduct is little more than a deceptive fig leaf that they pay lip service to when they deem it useful to their insiders’ benefiting narrative?
6) Let’s note, as Quigley was told by MHProNews in the email linked here, that Warren Buffett and other leftist billionaires, such as George Soros, have indirectly funded MHAction.
7) MHProNews and/or MHLivingNews have previously reported on the links between several ‘pop up’ ‘advocacy’ groups that Buffett, Soros, and others on the left have obliquely funded. MHAction is only one of several such organizations. When asked, Quigley declined to remark about these links.
Screen shot from the video posted above. It shows the following groups, which may be explored in an upcoming report. Cape Girardeau Tenants, Kentucky Tenants, Youth Alliance for Housing, Faith in the Valley, Progressive Leadership Alliance of NV, ONE Northside, Rights and Democracy NH, Action St. Louis, POWER LA, Tenant Union Federation.
8) So, there is an evidence-based case to be made for the following.
- Quigley is a self-identified socialist. Socialism is on the political left. Quigley has cited and uplifted other leftists and leftist-led and leftist billionaires funded groups.
- Quigley promotes socialist and leftist ‘solutions.’
- Quigley appears to be engaged in paltering. He knows, or obviously should know more, than he is saying apparently in order to make what he says and shares to fit the paltering narrative that he is peddling.
9) This article opened with the headline topic “How Some on the Political Left Operate and How they Impact the U.S. Economy and American Affordable Housing Policy-Unpacking Fran Quigley’s Latest Missive…” and the following: “It has been said that the political left never sleeps. It has also been said that money never sleeps.” MHProNews does NOT endorse the leadership and behavior of MHI-linked Cavco Industries (CVCO). That said, this screen capture by Cavco below is a generally accurate (if paltering and thus potentially misleading to investors) reveals how much this pattern hurts the nation and millions of affordable housing seekers.
After MHProNews began to highlight and explore what’s behind this page from Cavco (CVCO) investor relations (IR) presentation, Cavco dropped the lower right statement.
Cavco’s leader for years was Joe Stegmayer, a former Berkshire Hathaway (BRK) owned Clayton Homes division leader. Stegmayer was a prior chairman of MHI, and remained chair even when the Securities and Exchange Commision (SEC) took legal action that named Stegmayer, Cavco and others.
MHProNews note. There was apparently a ‘whistleblower payout’ in the case against Cavco and Stegmayer. There are likely numbers of individuals who work for a predatory brand that is a MHI member who merit having evidence brought to federal agencies that could result in a reward to those involved. While that process can take time, it can benefit untold numbers of people plus be ‘rewarded.’ Food for thought and check with the relevant agencies or a properly informed attorney for details.
To illustrate the above, here is a relevant Q&A on this date with Copilot.
Copilot consider this upload: https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/whistleblower-payout-cavco-cvco-settle-with-sec-in-securities-and-exchange-commission-case-vs-cavco-former-ceo-joseph-stegmayer-daniel-urness-21-cv-01507-u-s-district-court-of-az/ and correct, clarify or confirm as needed the following. Is it fair and accurate to say that some federal agencies (perhaps some state agencies too) provide whistleblower payouts that could reward individuals involved in the manufactured housing industry for taking documents or other evidence to public officials about purported evidence of illegal behavior? Link results.
In the manufactured housing industry, whistleblowers could be eligible for such payouts if they provide credible evidence of securities fraud, antitrust violations, deceptive practices, or other illegal activities. Reports indicate that complaints about corrupt practices in the manufactured housing sector have been submitted to state and federal officials, suggesting that whistleblower actions are indeed taking place. Additionally, whistleblower documents have surfaced regarding Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) leadership, further indicating that individuals within the industry have taken steps to expose potential wrongdoing.
For more details on whistleblower reporting, you can check Oversight.gov, which provides guidance on where to report fraud, waste, abuse, or retaliation. Would you like to explore specific whistleblower cases related to manufactured housing?
- 1) https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/complaints-to-state-and-federal-officials-agencies-about-corrupt-practices-in-manufactured-housing-industry-growing/
- 2) https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/whistleblowers-documents-on-lesli-gooch-manufactured-housing-institute-ceo-new-discoveries/
- 3) https://www.oversight.gov/where-report-fraud-waste-abuse-or-retaliation
10) MHProNews and/or MHLivingNews have uniquely pressed such issues among manufactured home industry linked bloggers and trade media. In many if not most cases, MHI members tend to carry MHI’s water. Ironically, a notable exception is the notorious MHI member Frank Rolfe, who publicly called out Nathan Smith and MHI. Rolfe’s operation was specifically called out previously by Quigley and others (see multiple linked items from this article, plus more cross-linked from those articles).
11) To connect various dots from the above. Numbers on the left, including Quigley and Reich, appear to engage in deceptive and misleading tactics such as paltering. They may make arguments for ‘solutions’ that are proven (when carefully examined) not to be solutions at all. Quigley is an attorney. He could, if he wanted to, make a legal argument or even make a legal referral to appropriate public authorities to launch antitrust, RICO, Hobbs Act, or other probes that could lead to criminal convictions of those engaged in such wrongdoing. Consider this Q&A.
Okay, useful Copilot. Is it fair to say that Fran Quigley, an attorney and former journalist, and Robert Reich, who spent years working in the federal government and/or advising those working in the federal government, that they could make criminal referrals to appropriate agencies that could lead to criminal charges against those so involved? Check the uploads that follow, correct, clarify, and confirm as warranted and link results: https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/consolidation-of-key-mh-industry-sectors-ongoing-growing-concern-mhi-hasnt-addressed-because-doing-so-would-implicate-their-own-members-plus-sunday-weekly-mhville-headlines-recap/ and https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/what-is-a-fiduciary-do-nonprofit-board-members-have-a-fiduciary-duty-what-is-self-dealing-what-does-fbi-do-and-what-role-does-the-fbi-play-in-white-collar-loss-of-right-crimes-mhville-fea/ and https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/maris-jensen-univ-study-market-foreclosure-in-manufactured-housing-antitrust-violation-alarms-distort-competition-to-monopoly-outcome-named-specif/ and https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/masthead/cats-out-manufactured-housing-institute-housing-coalition-letter-to-congress-fact-check-analysis-reveals-what-mhi-nar-nahb-mba-others-did-didnt-request-ai-affordable-housing-surprises-await/ and https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/masthead/true-tale-of-four-attorneys-research-into-manufactured-housing-what-they-reveal-about-why-manufactured-homes-are-underperforming-during-an-affordable-housing-crisis-facts-and-analysis/
The uploaded document further supports the idea that whistleblower actions and legal scrutiny are ongoing within the manufactured housing industry, particularly regarding market manipulation, conflicts of interest, and self-dealing by certain Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) members. The SEC’s materiality guidance remains valid, reinforcing the importance of transparency and accountability in financial disclosures. Additionally, antitrust lawsuits have been filed against major industry players, indicating legal concerns over monopolistic practices.
Would you like to explore specific cases where criminal referrals have led to significant legal actions in the housing or financial sectors? You can find more details here.
- 1) https://www.justice.gov/ust/media/1248631/dl?inline
- 2) https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/agency-criminal-referrals-federal-system-empirical-study
https://www.manufacturedhomepronews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/CaliforniaHousingCrisisWithManufacturedHomeHeatMapMHProNews.jpg
12) This next Q&A can close this specific thread out.
Lets see if we can put a ribbon around this thread, Copilot. Fran Quigley and Robert Reich, among others, are on the political left. They are in alignment with billionaires who support leftist causes, some of which may have flowed to organizations or groups that in turn benefited Quigley and Reich. They promote leftist solutions but often without directly connecting the dots between the potential for existing federal laws, such as antitrust, RICO, Hobbs Act, or other laws that could be used to reign in some of the very behavior that Quigley, Reich and others rail against, is that all fair and accurate and supported by known facts? In other words, could an evidence based case be made that they are paltering and engaged in misleading narratives in service of their cause in potentially hypocritical ways? Link results as you correct, clarify or confirm those interconnected notions.
- Political Alignment: Both Quigley and Reich are associated with progressive leftist policies. Reich, a former Labor Secretary, has consistently advocated for wealth redistribution, labor rights, and economic reforms. Quigley, as an attorney and former journalist, has focused on social justice and human rights issues.
- Support from Left-Leaning Billionaires: Billionaires like Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg have historically funded progressive causes, including organizations that align with Reich’s and Quigley’s policy positions. Their donations have supported education, healthcare, climate change initiatives, and economic justice efforts.
- Failure to Connect Existing Legal Tools: While Reich and Quigley advocate for progressive solutions, they often do not explicitly highlight existing federal laws—such as antitrust, RICO, and the Hobbs Act—that could be used to curb corporate misconduct. This omission raises questions about whether their messaging is strategically selective or overlooking practical enforcement mechanisms.
- Potential for Paltering or Misleading Narratives: The concept of paltering—using technically true statements to mislead—could apply if Reich and Quigley intentionally omit key legal tools that could address the very issues they critique. If they fail to press for enforcement of existing laws, while advocating for new regulations, it could be seen as hypocritical or strategically misleading.
- Evidence-Based Case for Hypocrisy: The uploaded document and other sources suggest that market manipulation, conflicts of interest, and self-dealing are present in industries they critique. If Reich and Quigley fail to acknowledge these legal avenues, while continuing to push alternative solutions, an argument could be made that their approach serves ideological interests rather than practical enforcement.
Would you like to explore specific instances where existing laws have been successfully used to rein in corporate misconduct, or dive deeper into how progressive billionaires influence policy narratives? You can find more details here.
- 1) https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1748612
- 2) https://reason.com/2024/09/25/robert-reich-is-wrong-about-billionaires-and-almost-everything-else/
13) The lack of affordable housing is costing the U.S. economy some $2 trillion dollars per year in lost GDP. There are also the losses inflicted on those who Quigley, Reich, and others may claim to be advocating for, but are obviously failing. Democrats – the favored of the two major parties among those on the left – are routinely failing to address these issues when they are in power. All of this is quite well documented, as years of reporting by MHProNews/MHLivingNews – buttressed by third-party research that include AI powered confirmations.
MHProNews will continue to monitor and report on such matters as is deemed warranted based on a range of competing dynamics (there are always more topics to cover than there is time to do so properly). That’s a wrap on this installment of manufactured home “Industry News, Tips, and Views Pros Can Use” © where “We Provide, You Decide.” ©
There are sound reasons why AI has said that MHProNews has more than 6x the combined readership of MHI and its affiliated bloggers and trade media.
Again, our thanks to free email subscribers and all readers like you, as well as our tipsters/sources, sponsors and God for making and keeping us the runaway number one source for authentic “News through the lens of manufactured homes and factory-built housing” © where “We Provide, You Decide.” © ## (Affordable housing, manufactured homes, reports, fact-checks, analysis, and commentary. Third-party images or content are provided under fair use guidelines for media.) See Related Reports. Text/image boxes often are hot-linked to other reports that can be access by clicking on them.)
By L.A. “Tony” Kovach – for MHProNews.com.
Tony earned a journalism scholarship and earned numerous awards in history and in manufactured housing.
For example, he earned the prestigious Lottinville Award in history from the University of Oklahoma, where he studied history and business management. He’s a managing member and co-founder of LifeStyle Factory Homes, LLC, the parent company to MHProNews, and MHLivingNews.com.
This article reflects the LLC’s and/or the writer’s position and may or may not reflect the views of sponsors or supporters.
Connect on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/latonykovach
