Jon Dudas, numero uno patent honcho, has close ties to House Republicans, where he was counsel to Republican-led committees for six years before his elevation. Stephen Pinkos, #2 at the agency, worked under the infamous Patriot Act sponsor & torture supporter, Republican Jim Sensenbrenner. Both were named to their posts by President Bush in 2004.

As a former USPTO senior executive observed, "The current leadership of the USPTO derives its power base almost completely from Capitol Hill. [W]ithout that advantage, they'll have a much harder time advocating the merits of the proposed rule changes. Unlike most of their predecessors, the people currently in charge don't have much experience in the nitty-gritty work of patent prosecution, and it shows. Frankly, a political earthquake on Capitol Hill would make it very difficult for the USPTO to carry out its proposed reforms."