What happened

The FBI said yesterday it was investigating “offensive and racist text messages” sent to black people in at least a dozen states since Wednesday morning. Authorities in several states are also investigating the anonymous messages, which asked recipients — as young as middle schoolers and often addressed by name — to prepare to “pick cotton” on slave plantations.

Who said what

The text messages “used a similar tone but varied wording,” The associated press said. A typical message asked the recipient to show up “with their belongings” at a location where “our executive slave owners will pick you up in a brown van” for transportation to “the nearest planation.” Some included references to the president-elect, Donald TrumpWHO”fueled racism throughout his campaign,” The New York Times said. Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said The Washington Post “The campaign had absolutely nothing to do with these text messages,” and to suggest otherwise would be an “idiotic and defamatory accusation.”