Rabbitt accused of campaign violation

<p>City Councilmember David Rabbitt has been accused of violating Petaluma campaign finance laws.</p><!-- Nothing to do. The paragraph has already been output --><p>Petaluma Tomorrow, a political group devoted to open government, said at Monday's city council meeting that Rabbitt's own campaign accounting shows “sloppy accounting,” and “exceptionally long time periods from the incurring of a campaign cost to its required repayment.” According to the group, Rabbitt's campaign contributions are illegal under Measure R, a 2004 campaign finance reform measure that Petaluma Tomorrow sponsored and that 66 percent of Petalumans approved.</p><p>“I am here to ask that you direct the city attorney to investigate and as needed enforce the ordinance,” said Andrew Packard, a representative from the group, at Monday's meeting. No indication was given by the Council on whether an investigation would take place.</p><p>According to Rabbitt's finance reports, he currently owes over $7,000 to groups that contributed to his 2006 campaign for City Council. The ordinance requires that credit owed to a single donor that takes more than 30 days to repay must be less than $200.</p><p>Rabbitt, while not denying the claim, said that “carrying campaign debt is not ideal, but not uncommon.”</p><p>Rabbitt said he has funds together to pay back the debt and plans to be debt-free by the end of the year.</p><p>“Campaign finance law benefits mostly incumbents,” he said. It is therefore very difficult for an outsider to come in and compete without having to borrow, he added.</p><p>“I've worked through that and I'm moving onward,” said Rabbitt.</p><p>—ARGUS-COURIER STAFF</p>