It’s hard to see elected officials show up at exclusive entertainment industry events and not wonder whether taxpayers had to foot the bill. Congresswomen Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) were spotted on the red carpet at last night’s Grammy Awards.

@KPRCLocal2 @5P I'm sure she can afford to pay for a trip to LA — Beave (@beavewdh) February 9, 2015

Sure, but she should be able to show that she paid for it herself too. A trip to Los Angeles is only part of it though. The Grammy Awards are a fairly exclusive event. Getting to Los Angeles isn’t likely the biggest expense here.

Easy mistake to make.

That’s what we’d like to know.

Update 10:50 PM, Feb 9

FYI @TwitchyTeam: Looks like Taxpayers likely footed the bill for @DWStweets to get to the #Grammys2015 – http://t.co/4g8oasPXhb — Lorraine Yuriar (@thekytikat) February 10, 2015

It appears that Schultz, along with fellow Florida Democrat Ted Deutch justify their Grammy attendance by claiming they were doing “research” into the music industry. The Sun Sentinel article mentions that colleagues on “both sides of the aisle” participated in this “research” but no Republicans were specifically named.

@SunSentinel our tax dollars hardly at work — Adam Blas (@Adam_Blas) February 9, 2015

@SunSentinel Wish I was a politician so I could spend tax money to go to Grammys…. — Fort Lauderdale Eatz (@FortLaudEatz) February 9, 2015

Sheila Jackson Lee seemed to have spent a lot less time making up an excuse.

Questions arise after Congresswoman Jackson Lee spotted at Grammy's | News – Home http://t.co/VoKmtu0hGh — Andy Cerota (@KPRCAndyCerota) February 10, 2015

Yes, she clearly did not want to talk about it with reporters.