Three days after retired Air Force Major Leonard Boltz put a powerless Beechcraft Bonanza onto Lake Wausau in the dark and got Rep. Tom Tiffany out alive, CBS 58 published a profile that spent more time attacking Boltz’s Republican politics than on the landing.
Reporter Kathryn Merck’s Tuesday piece, “Who is Leonard Boltz?,” opened with “online records” of the Pearson pilot’s “political and aviation history.” It noted he is “a familiar name within the Republican Party,” has given to GOP campaigns since the Scott Walker years, and has flown Tiffany at least 12 times as disclosed in-kind contributions. It also said that in 2024 Boltz “was one of a handful of Republicans recommended felony charges” in an alleged scheme to route money through the Langlade County GOP to a 2022 primary opponent of Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, then added, “Ultimately, Boltz was not charged.” The Wisconsin Ethics Commission had found probable cause and referred the matter to a district attorney.
The same records and contemporaneous reporting already showed that Boltz, 73, is a retired airline pilot and retired U.S. Air Force major. He has held an airline transport pilot certificate since 2008 and also holds flight engineer and mechanic certificates. Tiffany said Boltz raised the landing gear before hitting the water so the aircraft would not cartwheel, told him to tighten his belt, called 911 after impact, and swam with him to a sandbar. Tiffany needed 12 stitches; Boltz needed four. Wausau Mayor Doug Diny, a former military pilot, praised the nighttime water landing. Milwaukee County GOP Chair Hilario DeLeon called Boltz “a hero.” The FAA and NTSB are investigating.
When Merck phoned Boltz, he said, “I’ve been told not to speak, my apologies,” standard while a federal probe is open.
Merck posted the smear story on X. The thread drew more than 100 replies, almost universally criticizing the attack on Boltz.
In-kind campaign flights are legal when reported. The Journal Sentinel had already identified Boltz as Langlade County Republican Party chairman in its first-day coverage. Merck’s aviation section confirmed the certificates and the 1959 airframe; it did not allege a prior crash or a lapsed license. The NTSB typically takes 12 to 24 months to issue an accident report. But Merck decided to focus on Boltz’s political alignment and endorsement of a secretary of state candidate instead of the incredibly brave efforts he undertook to keep the plane from crashing.
