A Brooklyn coffee shop told Democratic New York Rep. Dan Goldman not to come back to the business because it does not serve “racists, fascists, homophobes, genocide enablers or anyone in between.”
Poetica Coffee claimed on social media that it would have turned Goldman away if they had recognized him. The shop’s Facebook post included a photo of Goldman standing at the register and a photo of an unsolicited $9.82 refund issued to him.
“Hey Congressman Dan Goldman, we see that you stopped by our shop today for a coffee. Do you see how it doesn’t taste like genocide juice? Or are you still having a hard time telling the difference?” the post reads. “See, here at Poetica, we don’t serve racists, fascists, homophobes, genocide enablers, or anyone in between.”
The post, which remained live as of publication, included the song “Fuck You” by Lily Allen. The coffee shop deleted its Instagram account after the post went viral, according to CNN.
“I had such a nice interaction with the barista in the coffee shop. She was wearing a hijab, I didn’t know her, but she couldn’t have been nicer and allowed my daughter to go use the bathroom, and I honestly was so grateful for her kindness that I felt like I should buy a coffee, and so I did, and I gave her a large tip,” Goldman said in a statement to CNN. “It’s a reflection, I think, of a sad state of affairs that without knowing me, we could have had such a nice interaction.”
The pro-Israel Goldman will face left-wing former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander in the Tuesday Democratic primary for New York’s Tenth Congressional District. Both Goldman and Lander, who has the endorsement of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, are Jewish.
The American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) endorsed Goldman. The congressman has received more than $377,000 from AIPAC for the 2o26 cycle in direct and earmarked donations, according to Legis1. Goldman, a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, notably served as House Democrats’ lead attorney during President Donald Trump’s 2019 impeachment trial.
“We issued you a refund—we don’t need your money (it’s probably coming from AIPAC anyways). Enjoy your loss on Tuesday. Don’t ever come to Poetica,” the post said in reference to Goldman.
Lander has emphasized Goldman’s support from AIPAC, according to CNN. Lander has referred to Israeli actions in Gaza as genocide and has accused Goldman of being bound to the lobbying group.
“There are plenty of ways to lobby elected officials and express outrage at the votes they’ve taken without turning coffee shops into places people don’t feel welcome,” Lander told the New York Times.
Goldman did not immediately respond to Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment. Poetica Coffee was unable to be reached for comment.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Rights Division announced Monday that it had launched an investigation into the coffee shop.
“Federal law prohibits public accommodations such as coffee shops from discriminating against patrons based on their race, religion, or national origin,” DOJ Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Harmeet Dhillon said in a Monday post to X. “These actions are not only reprehensible, they’re potentially illegal. The Civil Rights Division has opened an investigation, and will bring an enforcement action if warranted.”
Journalist Glenn Greenwald questioned the DOJ’s civil rights investigation in an X post, comparing the incident to the Christian Colorado bakery that sparked a 2018 Supreme Court case when it refused to make same-sex wedding cakes. Greenwald suggested that like the bakery, Poetica Coffee had a right to refuse service due to a violation of its core beliefs.
“Why doesn’t that principle apply to a coffee shop that doesn’t want to serve a Congressman who supports US financing and arming of Israeli aggression?” Greenwald said in his X post.
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