SACRAMENTO WATCH : Party Mayhem

The torpedoing of Sen. Marian Bergeson’s nomination as state superintendent of public instruction was a completely outrageous exercise of party politics. Everyone involved ought to be ashamed of taking part in this game.

The Republican Bergeson, tapped by Republican Gov. Pete Wilson, may not have been the second coming of Maria Montessori or a trailblazing educational reformer, but she is a capable official who deserved respect. Instead, her candidacy was trashed by Assembly Democrats fearful of Speaker Willie Brown, who was determined to block Bergeson no matter what.

Such is the Speaker’s power these days--and we hate to say this because we don’t want to encourage him in this vein--that only three Democrats dared to break ranks and vote for the competent Bergeson, of Newport Beach.

These three defied Brown because of their conviction that the public’s business needs to be conducted on a professional, as opposed to a partisan, basis. They are Assemblymen Tom Umberg of Garden Grove, Phillip Isenberg of Sacramento and Jim Costa of Fresno.

Their political bravery in this matter needs to be applauded. There is precious little of it in Sacramento--and of course too little of it in Washington. When courageous profiles do surface, they should be publicly noted and encouraged.

The spotted owl and the gnatcatcher are scarcely more endangered than the courageous politician. Speaker Brown should reflect on this and spare these three his wrath.