Gaspard Le Dem
Gaspard Le Dem has worked in a wide array of newsrooms –– from print to broadcast, local to international. The best stories, in his opinion, always have one thing in common: they’re focused on people. Whether he’s reporting on Congress or local politics, he always keeps in mind that news should give people a voice. Before joining The Well, he worked at a local paper in Washington D.C., at a financial publication on Wall Street, and at a French newswire with bureaus across the world. If he’s not chasing down a source, you may find him making black-and-white prints in his darkroom or playing blues on his guitar.
Recent Work
WASHINGTON - In the past decade, many U.S. states have faced labor shortages that have placed a financial strain on local businesses and economies. With fewer skilled immigrants entering the country and young people losing interest in blue-collar jobs, key industries like construction, health care, and... Read More
WASHINGTON - The coronavirus pandemic has reignited a longstanding debate on the issue of unequal access to broadband internet in America, also known as the “digital divide.” With thousands of businesses shut down, having access to a reliable internet connection is critical -- whether it’s to... Read More
WASHINGTON - Federal funding for U.S. highway projects could soon run out, according to a new report by the Congressional Budget Office, a nonpartisan agency that gives lawmakers advice on economic and budgetary matters. The Highway Trust Fund -- a government funding pool that helps states... Read More
New polling shows that a majority of female Trump supporters in 2016 who lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic would vote for him again, however, 48% of women still hold a very unfavorable view of him as opposed to 31% very unfavorable for Biden. ... Read More
WASHINGTON - Advocates called on the Environmental Protection Agency to raise its standards on particle pollution -- also known as soot or PM2.5 -- at a public hearing on Thursday held by phone due to the coronavirus crisis. In April, the EPA announced it did not... Read More
Thousands of Michigan residents were forced to evacuate their homes on Wednesday after heavy rains caused two dams to fail in Midland county, about 120 miles northwest of the city of Detroit. The breaches of the Edenville and Sanford Dams sent a deluge of water into... Read More
Vermont’s Republican Gov. Phil Scott announced a $400 million coronavirus relief package on Wednesday that taps into some of the $1.25 billion in funding the state received through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. In March, Congress passed the first round of coronavirus... Read More
WASHINGTON -- Experts say that injecting federal money into America’s higher education system amid the coronavirus crisis could unintentionally lead to more profiteering in the industry. The pandemic has taken a significant toll on U.S. colleges and universities, shutting down college campuses and forcing teachers and... Read More
The natural world has gotten a boost from the coronavirus pandemic. With fewer cars on the roads and planes in the sky, the world has benefited from clearer skies and an unprecedented decline in carbon emissions. Daily CO2 emissions decreased by 17% between January and early... Read More
WASHINGTON - The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced on Thursday that it had finalized new rules to give truckers more flexibility on their driving hours. The announcement comes after two years of intense public debate over how to give truckers more leeway on required rest... Read More
Over the last few months, the coronavirus crisis has forced colleges and universities across America to close down campuses and teach students entirely online. Now, the new school year is around the corner, and they face another daunting challenge -- how to reopen safely amid the... Read More
With the Iowa primaries less than three weeks away, an unprecedented number of voters have applied to vote by mail in the state’s June 2 election. As of Tuesday, 356,315 voters had requested an absentee ballot, with 96,311 ballots already sent in, according to data from... Read More
WASHINGTON - A bipartisan group of House lawmakers on Tuesday urged Congress to provide funding for the U.S. automobile industry in future coronavirus stimulus packages. “America’s motor vehicle industry must remain the heart of our nation’s manufacturing capability,” wrote the lawmakers in a letter to House... Read More
The NewDem Action Fund, the political arm of the New Democrat Coalition, endorsed two new candidates as part of their effort to flip Republican-held seats in the House of Representatives in 2020. The fund announced on Friday that it would back the campaigns of Christy Smith... Read More
Republican lawmakers in Michigan’s state legislature are suing Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer over her move to extend stay-at-home orders last week amid the coronavirus crisis. The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday by House Speaker Lee Chatfield and Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, alleges that Whitmer’s emergency orders... Read More
WASHINGTON - Top federal lawmakers argued for multi-billion dollar investments in new technology to test for coronavirus and develop vaccines against it during a Senate hearing Thursday. They also agreed with government health administrators they face an uncertain outcome for their efforts. “Our country will soon... Read More
A new poll released on Tuesday by Montana State University puts Democratic Governor Steve Bullock seven points ahead of Republican Senator Steve Daines in the state’s Senate race. In the online poll, which surveyed 738 registered voters, more than 46% of respondents said they’d pick Bullock,... Read More
WASHINGTON - As state governments weigh their responses to the coronavirus pandemic, religious groups across America have voiced concerns that lockdown measures could infringe on their constitutional rights. Last month, police broke up a gathering of 16 people at Lighthouse Fellowship Church, a small congregation on... Read More
WASHINGTON - The coronavirus pandemic has made life harder for Americans, but one of the few upsides of the crisis has been a massive reduction of traffic across the country. With fewer cars on the roads, Americans have enjoyed cleaner air, more room for outdoor exercise,... Read More
A group of North Carolina voters backed by a Democratic non-profit group is suing the state in an effort to ease restrictions around mail-in voting amid the coronavirus pandemic. The lawsuit, filed by Democracy Docket, a non-profit founded by Marc Elias, former counsel to Hillary Clinton’s... Read More
WASHINGTON - House Democrats urged the Trump administration on Friday to resume funding to the Pan American Health Organization, a regional branch of the World Health Organization that operates in Latin America. In a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y.,... Read More
WASHINGTON -- GOP lawmakers in Michigan’s state legislature want to take Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer to court over her decision to invoke emergency powers during the coronavirus crisis. The dispute started in March when Whitmer declared a state of emergency as Michigan was reporting its first... Read More
WASHINGTON - Amid growing concerns that the coronavirus crisis could disrupt America’s food chain, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday to keep meat and poultry processing plants open during the pandemic. Citing the Defense Production Act, which gives the president broad authority over... Read More
WASHINGTON - A bipartisan group of House lawmakers endorsed a bill on Monday to create a new congressional task force to scrutinize the U.S. response to the coronavirus pandemic. The Made in America Emergency Preparedness Act, introduced in early April by Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa. and... Read More
The coronavirus crisis has dominated headlines in 2020, but research shows some Americans are paying more attention than others. According to a recent survey from the Pew Research Center, nearly all U.S. adults -- about 92% -- say they’re keeping a close watch on COVID-19 news. ... Read More
WASHINGTON - The House of Representatives approved a new coronavirus relief package on Thursday, replenishing funds for small business loans, hospitals, and to expand virus testing. The bill, signed by President Trump Friday afternoon, adds $310 billion to the Paycheck Protection Program, a popular lending initiative... Read More
It’s a big year for the planet. April 22, 2020, marked the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, a celebration of the environmental movement that is honored around the world. But many are celebrating Earth Day indoors this year. The coronavirus has confined millions of people to... Read More
In 2014, Susan Collins was looking at an easy victory in Maine. The veteran Senator was well-funded, well-liked, and faced little competition in her bid for re-election. Her main challenger, Shenna Bellows, was a young progressive with no name recognition and limited experience in public office.... Read More
WASHINGTON - Congress made little progress on immigration reform last year, but state legislatures are keeping the ball rolling. Nearly every U.S. state passed legislation related to immigration in 2019, according to a report by the National Council on State Legislatures, a bipartisan organization that researches... Read More
WASHINGTON - Scores of public health experts responded with shock and anger this week to the decision by the White House to halt U.S. funding to the World Health Organization. The move, announced by President Donald Trump on Tuesday, comes as the world struggles to contain... Read More
When the coronavirus started shutting down livestock markets, Darvin Bentlage knew his farm would take a hit. Springtime cattle sales usually bring in about a third of his ranching income, and cattle prices were already at a low, he said. “I think we’ll be playing it... Read More
