Recent stories by The Buffalo News about Democratic mayoral candidate India Walton led to a protest outside the newspapers offices Wednesday.
The point of contention, protesters said, is unfair treatment in the way the Buffalo News covers Walton, specifically pointing to an article published Tuesday linking a 2018 eviction to unsubstantiated accusations of drug dealing. Walton has publicly denied the accusations
The salacious manner of the story is discouraging, said Activist and former City Council member Betty Jean Grant.
“No, I think they’re chasing a story, trying to get this thing on the front page of the Buffalo News so they can sell newspapers and so we can watch channel 2, 4 and 7," Grant said. "I'm not denigrating anybody, but I think that Ms. Walton has been treated very unfairly.”
Grant doesn’t believe the News has it out for Walton, but said the coverage of the City of Buffalo’s first avowed Socialist Democratic Mayoral candidate is being handled poorly.
“I think Buffalo News, like a lot of people this area, is not used to women in power, particularly black women in power," she said.
Efforts to reach the reporter of the most recent Walton story went unanswered.
