He remained Speaker until he resigned in 1976 to campaign as a candidate for Missouri Lieutenant Governor which he narrowly lost to Bill Phelps.

Rabbitt's responsibilities as majority floor leader included establishing the time of meeting and order of business of the House of Representatives.

The four counts that were upheld were based on 2 factual charges: (1) that Rabbitt had requested indirect payment of $20,000 from an automobile dealers association in return for favorable treatment of legislation and (2) that Rabbitt had threatened to give unfavorable treatment to a bill addressing the trucking industry unless he received legal business.

In his defense, with respect to the first charge, Rabbitt asserted that John Connaghan was the party that had actually received payment from the automobile dealers association and that Rabbitt had only received referrals fees from John Connaghan for cases referred to him.

[2] After time served for the sustained counts, Rabbitt was later re-admitted to the Missouri State Bar and resumed the practice of law.