THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE:

Harbormaster Deana Bergquist maintains that ongoing talks between the Newport Beach Harbor Patrol and members of the sailing community have had a healing effect on the strained relationship between the two factions.

But Harbor Commissioner and longtime sailor Seymour Beek begs to differ.

“It’s interesting that she thinks that,” Beek said. “I don’t think people are getting along any better.”

Harbor Patrol officials and local sailing enthusiasts have clashed in recent months over sailboat races in Newport Harbor.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Dept.-run Harbor Patrol wants to enforce 5-knot and county 5-mile-per-hour speed limits in the harbor.

Local yacht clubs and sailors claim the speed limits put a damper on the time-honored tradition of sailboat races in the harbor.

Sailing enthusiasts, upset over Harbor Patrol-issued speeding tickets and other perceived injustices, openly jeered and hissed at Bergquist when she spoke at a Newport Beach Harbor Commission meeting earlier this year.

A task force that includes Harbor Patrol officials and sailors aimed at defusing the situation has put forth a proposal to issue city special event permits for sailboat races that would allow racers to exceed harbor speed limits.

Bergquist said earlier this week that she has not made up her mind how she feels about the proposal yet, but talks between the two groups have resulted in friendlier relations overall.

Local yacht clubs have done a better job of cooperating with the Harbor Patrol to remind sailors of rules of the water since the task force formed, she said.

“This whole thing has brought a lot of awareness to some issues and communication is always key,” Bergquist said.

ROHRABACHER DETAILS FRIENDSHIP IN FILM

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher will appear in an upcoming documentary chronicling the rise and fall of former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who is now serving time on corruption charges.

Rohrabacher, who considers Abramoff a personal friend, did an interview for the film on April 30 in which he talked about how he met Abramoff, trips the two men took together and why he still supports him even after his criminal conviction, Rohrabacher spokeswoman Tara Setmayer said.

The film, tentatively titled “Casino Jack,” is directed by Academy Award-winner Alex Gibney who directed “Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room” and “Taxi to the Dark Side.”

“One thing Dana has never done is back away from his friendships,” Setmayer said. “He thinks Abramoff deserves to be punished because he broke the law, but it doesn’t mean that he’ll relinquish the friendship.”

Rohrabacher has never visited Abramoff in prison, but he writes to him frequently, according to Setmayer.

The film’s producer, Jigsaw Productions, expects the documentary to be released this fall.

BRIANNA BAILEY may be reached at (714) 966-4625 or at [email protected]. ALAN BLANK may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or at [email protected].