Seattle Talk Host Caught Employing Suspected Illegals

A SAD END

Illegal Alien Scandal Hammers Final Nail In KVI's Coffin







Is this end of a once-mighty regional talk radio powerhouse? After a controversy over the alleged hiring of illegal aliens by a Seattle talk show host, it certainly appears that way.

The flap, first reported by the Seattle Times, could prove the final nail in the coffin of KVI-AM, a onetime political force that frightened entrenched Olympia politicians, pushed tax-fighting ballot propositions over the top and most importantly, generated tremendous ratings and revenue.

Note: your Radio Equalizer was part of the station's weekday lineup in 1998 and 1999.

The latest bombshell comes just two weeks after longtime morning host Kirby Wilbur (below left image) was let go in what station owners called a ratings-related termination. But the circumstances behind his departure appear in dispute.

Now, a Times investigation reveals an alleged pattern of illegal alien hires by afternoon host Peter Weissbach, a Canadian libertarian who crossed the border himself over a decade ago and became an American citizen. From their coverage:

A janitorial company owned by a local conservative talk-radio host is among the early targets of a new strategy by the Obama administration to thin the ranks of illegal immigrants by going after the companies that hire them.

Seattle Building Maintenance, owned by KVI talk-radio host Peter Weissbach and his wife, provides janitorial services in buildings throughout the Puget Sound region, including such Seattle landmarks as the Seattle Art Institute, Pacific Place, Metropolitan Park and the Dexter Horton and Westin buildings.

The subject of an ongoing immigration audit by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, the company has been clearing its books by firing some of its janitorial staff — about 100 people so far — believed to be working illegally.

The probe of Seattle Building Maintenance offers an early glimpse into ICE's approach to worksite enforcement — stealthily targeting employers rather than workers.

It's a departure from the big splashy raids that used to play out on the evening news, with large numbers of immigrants being rounded up and carted off to detention, where many faced removal.

Now, workers are quietly let go by their employers, without the direct contact with immigration agents that might lead to deportation.

Of course, the Times certainly didn't overlook the opportunity to re-brand the libertarian Weissbach as a "conservative" for its damaging political effects. But there's no denying the incredible hypocrisy destroys what is left of KVI's credibility.

As for Weissbach, what was he thinking? Did he believe the hiring of illegals would be tolerated by his radio audience?

At the moment, he remains on the station's schedule, but it's unclear whether that will continue for long.


During its heyday, KVI was built around local activism-based talk radio in a remote region of the country that favors area issues over national news. At the center of that lineup, however, was Rush Limbaugh, who brought a tremendous audience base to the station. Earlier this decade, Limbaugh moved to a new conservative station, KTTH-AM, which has since become the region's largest commercial talk outlet.

With ratings once routinely in the top five for the Seattle-Tacoma radio market, KVI has fallen to twenty-fifth place in the most recent Arbitron ratings.

While KVI still features top-tier syndicated programming such as Sean Hannity, Mark Levin and others, the absence of strong local personalities and loss of listener goodwill via these recent flaps creates a particularly uncertain future for the onetime talk leader.


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