(CNN) -- A story this week by the Associated Press has caused quite a stir, especially among African-Americans, when multiple news outlets ran it with the attention-grabbing headline, "Some black pastors are telling their flocks to stay home Election Day." 

The New York Daily News ran the story, along with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Newsday, and a host of conservative websites such as HotAir and NewsMax. 

When I first saw the headline, I was stunned, especially knowing the blood that has been shed over the years by African-Americans and others to gain the precious right to vote. 

I read the more than 1,300-word story by Rachel Zoll, with a contribution from Bill Barrow. The first line was "Some black clergy see no good presidential choice between a Mormon candidate and one who supports gay marriage, so they are telling their flocks to stay home on Election Day." 

Nothing in the story legitimately backed up that first line. Anybody who had read the full article would know that. 

In reading the piece, Zoll and Barrow quote or mention pastors A.R. Bernard, Jamal Bryant, George Nelson Jr., Floyd James, and Howard-John Wesley, Lin Hill and Dwight McKissic. 

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Not a single one of these pastors was quoted as saying they have or plan to tell their congregations not to vote in the presidential election. Not one. 

Several expressed misgivings about President Barack Obama's support for same-sex marriage, and others had negative thoughts about Mitt Romney being a Mormon or the effect of his policies on their congregants. One said he hasn't decided whom he will vote for, and McKissic said he'll go fishing on Election Day. 
Did they say anything about third party candidates?
unknown