He Accepts the Finger of Blame After Making His Point on Camera

Candid camera: Yorba Linda residents who tuned in to their Dec. 20 City Council meeting must have thought it was sweeps month on their public-access channel. Unsuspecting residents watched in living color as Councilman Gene Wisner flicked an obscene hand gesture to Councilman John M. Gullixson.

Wisner said the action was intended as private joke between colleagues. The hand motion was pay-back for Gullixson’s nomination of Wisner for a committee that meets in downtown Los Angeles.

“John told me wait until I saw (what he was going to nominate) me for,” Wisner said. “That was my response. It was in fun. We were clowning around and I had no idea the camera was on.”

But the camera never blinks, and some Yorba Linda residents were not amused. For his part, Wisner regrets the tomfoolery.

“I am absolutely embarrassed and I will apologize,” Wisner said. “It will never happen again.”

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Circle the wagons: Miffed over losing their one toehold in Orange County, Democrats in the 69th Assembly District mean to reclaim their turf. In spite of being the only district where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans in the county, Republican Jim Morrissey nevertheless triumphed in capturing the seat vacated by Democrat Tom Umberg in the November election.

“We aren’t going to let the 69th go,” vowed Carolyn Poindexter, acting chairwoman of Democrats of Orange County 69th Assembly District. “I’m very disappointed we didn’t hang onto that seat. We got caught up in the big GOP whirlwind.”

To reverse the winds of change, Democrats will confer Jan. 14 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Carpenters Union Hall, 1916 W. Chapman Ave., Orange. Organizers hope to map out a strategy to keep Democrats in the 69th District loyal to the party.

Poindexter said she realizes her party has an uphill battle in the district, which includes parts of Santa Ana, Anaheim, Westminster and Garden Grove.

“I know in Orange County we are considered the underdogs,” Poindexter said. “That doesn’t bother me. We just keep on trucking.”

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Live from Orange County, it’s Saturday night: Bonds crisis, bankruptcy and comedy--they go together like Moe, Curly and Larry. At least the improv group the Orange County Crazies thinks so.

Aiming for laughs at the expense of their bankrupt county, the local madcaps added a bond auction to their traditional New Year’s Eve show Saturday night. Troupe members sold “junk” bonds to audiences members--in a mock tribute to former County Treasurer-Tax Collector Robert L. Citron. No word yet on totals, but troupe members said they will donate proceeds to the Board of Supervisors at its Jan. 17 meeting.

Said the troupe’s artistic director, Cherie Kerr: “If each of the 2.4 million residents of Orange County contributed just $841.66, we could clear this $2.02-billion deficit easily.”

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Fashion statement: It’s not real subtle, but political ideas pressed on T-shirts rarely are. Inspired by the bonds crisis, Tom Williams unveiled a new T-shirt depicting an orange (Orange County taxpayer) , a lemon (Bob Citron, since in French “Citron” means lemon) and a bull (Merrill Lynch) in a compromising position next to the “hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil” monkeys (the county supervisors) .

Williams, 53, who works with an El Toro tool company, calls the creation, “Romancing the Orange.”

“Rather than stew about (the county bankruptcy), I thought I’d make a statement,” Williams said. “I hope the people that buy them will be the kind of people who are brave enough to wear them.”

Those interested in sporting one of the 100 $15 T-shirts can fax an order to Williams at (714) 770-9652.

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Crowd-control-experience preferred: The past two Fourth of July celebrations in Huntington Beach have rocked the beachside community, but not in a way the city would like. Melees broke out, leading to more than 90 arrests.

Now, the city wants to fill a slot on its Fourth of July Board, which raises money and coordinates activities for the town’s annual celebration. Applications are available at City Hall, 2000 Main St. Information: (714) 536-5496.

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New digs: Assemblywoman Marilyn C. Brewer (R-Newport Beach) has opened an office in Irvine. The address is 18952 MacArthur Blvd., Suite 220, Irvine, Calif. 92715. (714) 863-7070.

Compiled by Times staff writer Martin Miller, with contributions from staff writer Len Hall and correspondent Danielle A. Fouquette.

Politics ’95 appears every Sunday.