GOP fireworks on Ollie

Sen. Warren B. Rudman, Republican vice chairman of the SenateSelect Iran-contra Committee, has fired off a scathing private letterto Republican National Chairman Frank Fahrenkopf attacking afund-raising letter extolling Lt. Col. Oliver L. North.

Seeking to take advantage of Olliemania, Mr. Fahrenkopf on July21 sent out a mailing saying that "through six days of gruelinginterrogations by some of Washington's most self-serving liberalpoliticians and lawyers," Col. North "brilliantly argued for thecause of freedom in our hemisphere." Sen. Rudman has been underconservative attack back home in New Hampshire for his prosecutorialzeal against Col. North.

Sen. Rudman wrote Mr. Fahrenkopf that Col. North "lied" and"deceived" the president and Congress. "These are not actions thatare representative of the party of Lincoln, Eisenhower and Reagan,"Sen. Rudman's Aug. 3 letter concluded. "I deeply regret the messagethat your letter carried." ANOTHER HILL LEAK

Defense Secretary Caspar W. Weinberger and Adm. William J.Crowe, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, were furious when House ArmedServices Committee Chairman Les Aspin revealed that Saudi Arabia wassecretly flying a new AWACS orbit with its U.S.-made radar planes atthe mouth of the Persian Gulf.

The implacably secretive Saudis agreed to fly the new pattern toreveal ship and air activities dangerous to the United States aroundthe Strait of Hormuz. But the United States in turn agreed not totell the world, specifically keeping Iran in the dark.

But Rep. Aspin, informed in a closed-door session by Mr.Weinberger and Adm. Crowe, did not keep quiet about it. HighPentagon officials say privately that some members of Congress arestaying away from secret Pentagon briefings when Rep. Aspin ispresent for fear they will be blamed for leaks that are his. VERITY SURPRISE CHOICE

The unexpected choice of industrialist C. William Verity to besecretary of commerce was so closely held by President Reagan and hiswife Nancy that even Robert Tuttle, the administration's personnelchief, was astounded and, say some officials, upset.

Mr. Verity's name did not appear on the formal list ofcandidates routinely put out by Mr. Tuttle when a major vacancyoccurs. One official said Mr. Verity's name first was broached tothe president by Michael K. Deaver, now awaiting trial for perjury.They knew each other when Mr. Deaver was White House deputy chief ofstaff and Mr. Verity was Armco steel's chief executive officer. PERKLESS CARLUCCI

Although national security adviser Frank C. Carlucci explainsquietly that perks are not important to him, his displacement bydeputy White House chief of staff Kenneth M. Duberstein for a scarceseat on President Reagan's helicopter has raised eyebrows.

On a recent trip to Andrews Air Force Base, Mr. Carlucci took acar while Mr. Duberstein and chief of staff Howard H. Baker Jr. rodewith Mr. Reagan in Marine One. Never mind, Mr. Carlucci told afriend, I'm no perk jerk and would just as soon go by car. Butlesser NSC officials did not like the apparent downgrading of theirchief. DOLE VS. KEMP

The old feud between Sen. Robert J. Dole and Rep. Jack Kempflared up Thursday in Chicago when the senator rejected a joint pressconference by the Republican presidential rivals suggested by his owntop Illinois supporter.

Sen. Dole's Illinois chairman, House Republican Leader Lee A.Daniels, proposed that since they were both addressing a state partyfund-raiser they also hold a joint press conference. The Dolecampaign declined on grounds the senator was arriving in Chicago toolate, but a spokesman added the idea was "silly" in any event. Sen.Dole then scheduled his own press conference 15 minutes later.

Appearing solo, Rep. Kemp took the opportunity to tee off onSen. Dole for supporting an oil import tax. That ended a long publictruce between the two as they struggled to catch up withfront-running Vice President George Bush.

Evans & Novak are nationally syndicated columnists of theChicago Sun-Times.