NOT REAL NEWS: No deputies slain on way to Clinton library

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - An online story falsely claimed two deputies were killed in Arkansas on their way to the Clinton Presidential Library to deliver a search warrant.

The story on the americacomefirst site alleged the deputies were investigators for Republican Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina and that as a result of their deaths, Gowdy was holed up in his office with protection from the U.S. Marshals Service. The piece also claimed Gowdy made a statement alleging a mole on one of his congressional committees leaked the deputies' travel plans.

"This story is 100 percent false," Amanda Gonzalez, Gowdy's communications director, said in an email.

Rather than staying indoors on Capitol Hill, Gowdy has appeared live on the sets of national news shows in Washington and New York and is touring South Carolina this week to promote a book he wrote with fellow South Carolina lawmaker U.S. Sen. Tim Scott.

None of the nearly 200 statements, press releases and interviews chronicled on Gowdy's official U.S. House member website contains comments on the topic the false story claimed he addressed.

This is part of The Associated Press' ongoing effort to fact-check misinformation that is shared widely online, including work with Facebook to identify and reduce the circulation of false stories on the platform.