<i> A behind-the-scenes look at Orange County’s political life</i> : Bergeson: A Little More Than Miffed

In the aftermath of Orange County’s bankruptcy declaration, Supervisor Marian Bergeson has been pestered by criticism from those who believe she bears some blame. The complaints center on Bergeson’s efforts during 16 years in the Legislature to push through a few bills that gave county treasurers greater latitude in their investments.

Bergeson is more than a little miffed at the criticism. The lawmaker’s boosters say the bill that detractors cite as a prime culprit in the collapse actually allowed Orange County to invest in securities that were worth about $250,000 more than their purchase prices at the time the investment pool went down.

The longtime lawmaker’s irritation also has a lot to do with politics. Insiders say Bergeson believes much of the negative mail she has received has been generated by supporters of former Assemblyman Gil Ferguson, who is in a tight race with Assemblyman Ross Johnson (R-Placentia) and Assemblywoman Doris Allen (R-Cypress) for Bergeson’s old 35th state Senate District seat.

They contend Bergeson’s endorsement of Johnson has prompted Ferguson, who has feuded with the former senator for years, to work hard to discredit her.

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Lined up: With Allen in a heated race for the 35th District seat, the possibility of an open Assembly seat has several potential candidates already assessing their chances. Among those rumored to be eyeing that job are: Charles V. Smith, the mayor of Westminster and current chairman of the Orange County Transportation Authority; Haydee Tillotson, a Huntington Beach planning commissioner; and Danielle Madison, a close associate of state Sen. Rob Hurtt (R-Garden Grove).

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Coming to Anaheim: Sacramento may have grabbed last weekend’s California Republican Party convention, but the next time the state GOP bigwigs convene it will be in Orange County--at the Anaheim Marriott, Sept. 15-17.

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Don’t worry, be unhappy: Former Secretary of Education William J. Bennett, a staunch defender of Western civilization, sadly explained last week in Irvine that American culture may be crumbling.

Who does the former bureaucrat and best-selling author blame? Not the Russians or Islamic fundamentalists.

Rather, said the author of the much-ballyhooed “Book of Virtues,” the pursuit of happiness is the culprit for America’s downfall. As Bennett sees it, in the late 1960s, when American adults started prizing self-realization over keeping family and personal vows, the nation unwittingly handed itself a one-way ticket to Palookaville.

“If I had to pinpoint one reason (for the collapse of American culture),” Bennett explained at a Children’s Hospital of Orange County fund-raiser last week, “it’s that the purpose of life was to be happy and not to keep your commitments.”

The crowd of 800 guests happily applauded Bennett afterward.

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Republican Party Animals: Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach) is furthering an old Reagan White House tradition by hosting a “Chili and Tequila” party this weekend.

Invitations feature a photocopied picture of Rohrabacher and the Gipper together back during Reagan’s first run for the presidency. Part of the shot is obstructed by Rohrabacher’s hand--the congressman, showing great ambidexterity, was both toasting Reagan and taking the picture, according to the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call.

On the guest list are GOP lawmakers, their families and their staffs. Rohrabacher is co-hosting the event with Tony Blankley, press secretary for House Speaker Newt Gingrich, at Blankley’s suburban Washington home.

A former Reagan speech-writer, Rohrabacher promised to maintain the tradition “now that the Reagan revolution has come to the legislative branch,” he told Roll Call.

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Shown the Door: He could hardly be called politically correct, but Assemblyman Jim Morrissey (R-Santa Ana) raised a few eyebrows recently when he went on a tear over his assignment to a Capitol office that isn’t wheelchair accessible.

Morrissey tried to read a letter into the Assembly record protesting that the construction of the office, which has stairs leading to its front door, “overlooks the needs of the handicapped, and its use as an office for a publicly elected official should be re-evaluated.” Assembly Speaker Willie Brown wouldn’t allow Morrissey to read the letter on the floor, and told the Orange County conservative that the situation should have been handled with a private letter.

To highlight the situation, Morrissey scheduled a press conference featuring Assemblyman Tom Bordonaro (R-San Luis Obispo), who uses a wheelchair. But the nimble Brown reacted with dispatch: Ten minutes before the press conference he called Morrissey’s office to announce that it would be moving to new, more accessible quarters.

Now ensconced in one of the Capitol’s most cramped offices, Morrissey remains resolute. He said the whole affair was just another example of the Democrat-controlled Legislature “passing laws that apply to everyone and then exempting itself.”

Compiled by Times staff writer Eric Bailey, with contributions from staff writers Martin Miller and Gebe Martinez and Lisa Richwine of States News Service.

Politics ’95 appears every Sunday.