The Washington Post reports that Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) has filed an ethics complaint against the two lawmakers who missed their swearing-in for the 112th Congress while attending a fundraiser, contending, among other things, that the two congressmen violated federal law and House rules by holding a fundraiser in the Capitol.

During the swearing-in, Reps. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) and Mike Fitzpatrick (R-Penn.) were attending a "reception" for Fitzpatrick in the Capitol Visitors Center. The invitation for the reception lists a cost of $30 per person, which CREW contends makes the event a fundraiser. The two later went on to cast votes without being sworn in as members, another violation of House rules.

"'We can debate whether Mike Fitzpatrick's swearing in fundraising event violates federal law or House ethics rules all we want, but the truth is, instead of taking the oath of office he was clearly attending a fundraiser,' said David Donnelly, national campaigns director for Public Campaign Action Fund."

Rep. Fitzpatrick's ethics gaffe has been receiving bad press across the nation, including an editorial from The New York Times, and he's now catching flack with local media as well. The Philadelphia Inquirer covered the story and Rep. Fitzpatrick's eventual apology for the blunder - but the damage has been done.

It is well known that members of Congress begin raising campaign cash as soon as they step foot in Washington, D.C. And despite running against "business as usual" in Congress, Fitzpatrick, buoyed by veteran lawmaker Sessions, jumped right onto the fundraising treadmill, which in this case, resided on Capitol grounds, prompting the ethics complaint. It's common for lawmakers to miss the occasional vote. It's rare for them to miss their swearing-in while raising money a few floors down.