In addition to his campaign contributions, Kirsch funded an analysis of George W. Bush's record on education in Texas, and used the research in anti-Bush banner ads that appeared on the Web the day before the election. He also gave $500,000 to the Gore Legal Fund to defray the costs of the recount battle in Florida. "I haven't asked for any special favors, nor do I expect any," Kirsch says. "There were no conditions attached to the money I donated. Zero. I didn't even request to review the TV commercials I am probably paying for. All I want is for Gore to keep his campaign promises."

Kirsch founded Mouse Systems in 1982 and Frame Technology in 1986 before launching Infoseek, an Internet navigation service. After selling the company to Disney in 1999, Kirsch started a new e-commerce company called Propel. He and his wife Michele, a law school student, have set records for charitable giving: They are two of the few donors younger than 50 who rank among the nation's 100 most generous philanthropists, as measured by lifetime giving. Among the couple's favorite causes: genetic research to reverse baldness, and the search for asteroids that could destroy the Earth. "We're not going to be put off by controversy," Kirsch told Worth. "We might do something on cloning for the replacement of body parts if the right proposal came along."

Kirsch's idiosyncratic style extends to his political donations. His political web page describes his reasons for supporting Gore. He has an equally blunt message for those seeking to reform campaign finance. "I hope this is the last time I'll be legally allowed to make a donation this large," he says. "The current system sucks. It allows wealthy people like me to get special access and influence public policy."