Rep. Joe Kennedy III Fishes for Phone in Trash

Rep. Joe Kennedy III put new meaning into dirty politics when he had to go digging for his phone through a fast food restaurant's trash can.

People who were there tell us JK3 had finished eating an early dinner Wednesday at Santa Rosa Taqueria on Capitol Hill and accidentally threw out his tray of food with his phone on it.

Joe was alone, so he took off his suit jacket, rolled up his sleeves and got to work. Problem is ... the phone's heavy and went to the bottom of the bin, so Joe was diggin' for a good 10 minutes, according to restaurant-goers who were more into watching and taking pictures than helping out. Can't blame them for not wanting to get covered in leftover taco meat and guacamole.

Joe, who delivered this year's Democratic response to the State of the Union, eventually got his phone out and cleaned up in the bathroom.