A Brooklyn coffee shop faces a federal civil rights investigation after posting a public rebuke of Democratic Congressman Dan Goldman over his pro-Israel stance, drawing intervention from the Trump administration's justice department.
Goldman, who represents New York's 10th congressional district, visited Poetica Coffee on Sunday and purchased a coffee. The cafe subsequently posted a since-deleted Instagram message directed at him, calling him a "genocide enabler" and a "racist" who should not be welcomed there.
The post featured a photo of Goldman at the counter and included crude language about his drink tasting like "genocide juice." It concluded with a wish for his defeat in an upcoming Democratic primary race against former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who has been sharply critical of Israel's military operations in Gaza.
Goldman told CNN the experience struck him as hypocritical given that his actual interaction with the cafe's staff had been positive. He described a kind barista wearing a hijab who had allowed his daughter to use the restroom and received a generous tip from him.
"It's a reflection, I think, of a sad state of affairs that without knowing me, we could have had such a nice interaction," Goldman said.
The cafe did refund his purchase, but that failed to prevent federal scrutiny. Harmeet Dhillon, the Trump administration's assistant attorney general overseeing the civil rights division, announced on social media that her office was investigating Poetica Coffee for potential violations of federal public accommodations law.
"Federal law prohibits public accommodations such as coffee shops from discriminating against patrons based on their race, religion, or national origin," Dhillon said, vowing enforcement action if warranted.
Goldman pushed back against the investigation itself, arguing that the justice department's resources would be better spent elsewhere. He called for investigations into antisemitism directed at ordinary citizens rather than public figures like himself.
"I don't ask for the antisemitism, but I'm a public figure and I can accept the criticism," Goldman said. He suggested Dhillon's office focus on people "who do not have a platform that I do, who are not elected officials."
The backlash reflects deeper tensions within New York's Democratic Party over Israel policy. Goldman, a Levi Strauss heir with a reported net worth around $253 million, has embraced strong support for Israel. He attended the Israel Day parade in New York in May alongside Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a far-right politician who has called for Gaza's destruction and the ethnic cleansing of Palestinian villages.
Lander, Goldman's primary opponent, has taken the opposite position, describing Israel's war on Gaza as genocide and refusing AIPAC funding.
Poetica Coffee markets itself as a space devoted to welcoming all guests without reservation. Its website invokes the Uzbek concept of "mehmon," describing a philosophy where "whoever walks through the door is treated with unconditional dignity." The cafe promises that "the door doesn't close on anyone, where tea gets poured before anyone asks who you are."
The cafe's public attack on Goldman and the subsequent federal investigation raise questions about where public accommodations law intersects with political speech and viewpoint discrimination in an increasingly polarized environment.
Author James Rodriguez: "The justice department turning its machinery on a coffee shop feels like the wrong answer to a real problem about civility and coexistence."
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