By Christian Finkbeiner

America Online Inc., founded in 1985 with headquarters in Northern Virginia, controls most of the world’s interactive services, Web brands, Internet technologies and e-commerce services.

It operates two Internet services: America Online, which has more than 22 million subscribers, and CompuServe, which has more than 2.5 million subscribers.

In 1998, the company bought Netscape – the most popular Internet browser company. America Online MovieFone is the country's largest movie-listing guide and ticketing service.

According to its Web site, the company is the world's first $4.7 billion multi-brand new media company.

During the 1999 election cycle, AOL gave $25,000 to members of the General Assembly. That made the company No. 113 among all donors to state legislators.

The company gave:

• $15,500 to 34 Republican lawmakers.
• $9,500 to 21 Democratic legislators.

The top recipients were Delegate C. Richard Cranwell, D-Vinton, and Sen. John H. Chichester, R-Fredericksburg. Each received $2,000 from AOL.

Cranwell is the minority leader in the House and serves on the House Labor and Commerce and Finance committees. Chichester is on the corresponding committees in the Senate.

AOL supported the Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act, which was passed by the 2000 General Assembly and signed by Gov. Jim Gilmore. The law, opposed by some consumer groups, puts legal muscle behind software licensing agreements.

The bill was sponsored by Delegate Joe May, R-Leesburg, and Sen. Edward Schrock, R-Virginia Beach. They each received $500 from AOL. The proposal passed the House 98-1 and the Senate 39-0.

In 1999, the General Assembly passed an $18 million tax break for AOL by reducing the sales tax on computer equipment for the campany's data center in Prince William County. The tax cut was sponsored by Delegate John H. Rust Jr., R-Fairfax. Rust received $1,000 from AOL during the 1999 election cycle.