CASPER, Wyo. (AP) — The University of Wyoming is reviewing an encounter between students and a state senator over an academic project on guns that the students presented at a recent public forum.

Two students say Republican Sen. Anthony Bouchard threatened to use his political influence to fire a professor and end funding for an academic program because he disagreed with their project. But Bouchard, of Cheyenne, denied making any such threats.

"Never said that ... fake news," Bouchard said in an email response to the Casper Star-Tribune (http://bit.ly/2oVM7ad ) on Tuesday.

Bouchard, a freshman...