31.   In a move that many analysts considered political suicide, Feingold refused an offer from the Democratic Party to counter the GOP ads with issue ads of its own.

32.   It also attempts to rein in the television ads that critics say are political spots masquerading as issue advocacy ads.

33.   It also would also have imposed limitations on issue ads.

34.   Increasingly nervous in recent days, Democrats have expressed fears about what an investigation of the issue ads might mean.

35.   Issue ads are not confined to presidential elections.

36.   Issue ads are supposed to be generic party messages, not appeals for specific candidates.

37.   It also reins in issue ads by outside groups in the period before elections.

38.   Issue ads have changed all that.

39.   Issue ads run by independent groups are paid for with unreported contributions that can be tax-exempt for the organization.

40.   It would also ban corporate and union funds to independent groups for sham issue ads running just before elections, and require disclosure for individual donors to such groups.