Rudman Raps Use of North for GOP Funds

The Republican Party’s effort to capitalize on the popularity of Lt. Col. Oliver L. North has drawn a rebuke from Sen. Warren B. Rudman of New Hampshire, senior GOP member of the Senate Iran- contra committee and a critic of the former National Security Council aide.

Rudman reacted strongly to a fund-raising letter sent out last month over the signature of Republican Party Chairman Frank J. Fahrenkopf Jr.

“If you’re like me, you’re very proud of Oliver North,” the Fahrenkopf letter began.

“Through six days of grueling interrogation by some of Washington’s most self-serving liberal politicians and lawyers, Col. North held his ground, brilliantly argued the case for freedom in our hemisphere and eloquently defended President Reagan’s Central American policy,” the letter continued.

Rudman fired off a response Aug. 3 to the party chairman, saying, “I hope I am not one of these self-serving liberal politicians and lawyers that you refer to.”

Rudman said North had participated in the deception of the President and other top Administration officials and said, “These are not actions that are representative of the party of Lincoln, Eisenhower and Reagan.

“I deeply regret the message that your letter carried.”

Robert Stevenson, press secretary to Rudman, said today that the senator and Fahrenkopf spoke by telephone and that the party chairman said he was not referring to Republican members of the Iran-contra committees.

During a subsequent appearance in New Hampshire, Rudman said the letter “really grated on me.”