The Justice Department has opened a civil rights investigation into a Manhattan coffee shop that declared it would have turned away Rep. Daniel Goldman (D-N.Y.) if staff had recognized his pro-Israel stance, according to Harmeet Dhillon, the department's top civil rights official.
Poetica Coffee, a small shop in the city, posted a since-deleted message on Instagram Sunday stating it issued a refund to the lawmaker after realizing who he was and telling him, "Don't ever come to Poetica." The post, reported by Reuters, added: "We don't serve racists, fascists, homophobes, genocide enablers or anyone in between. Too bad we didn't recognize you right away, or we would have turned you away." The shop's Instagram account, linked to its website, appears to have been deactivated.
Goldman, a Democrat who represents parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn, told CNN's Laura Coates on Monday that he had stopped in with his daughter to use the restroom, bought a coffee, and left a "large tip" as a thank-you. He described the encounter as a "nice interaction" with a barista wearing a hijab, making the subsequent online attack "quite surprising."
"It was diametrically opposite to that post that I came upon later, and it's a reflection I think of a sad state of affairs that without knowing me we could've had such a nice interaction," Goldman said. "Two people, obviously from different backgrounds, different faiths, but that's what America is and that's what New York City is. That is what I believe in."
Civil Rights Division Steps In
Dhillon announced the investigation in a social media post Monday, writing that the Civil Rights Division "will bring enforcement action if warranted." She emphasized that federal law prohibits public accommodations, including coffee shops, from discriminating against patrons based on race, religion, or national origin. "These actions are not only reprehensible, they're potentially illegal," she stated.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions over the Israel-Hamas war and broader Middle East policy, which have spilled into domestic political disputes. Goldman, a former federal prosecutor who helped lead the first impeachment of President Donald Trump, has been a vocal supporter of Israel. The controversy also echoes broader debates over free speech and discrimination in public spaces, as seen in recent clashes over boycotts and political litmus tests in commerce.
This investigation adds to a series of legal battles over political expression and discrimination, including a Labor Department rule on union finances sparking a legal fight between the AFL-CIO and Trump. Meanwhile, international tensions continue to roil the region, with Vance kicking off Iran nuclear talks in Switzerland amid Hezbollah-Israel escalation and Iran shutting the Strait of Hormuz, blaming Israel for violating the Lebanon ceasefire.
Legal experts note that while private businesses generally retain the right to refuse service, federal civil rights law prohibits discrimination based on protected characteristics. Whether political affiliation or stance on foreign policy qualifies as such remains a key question for the DOJ's probe. The investigation could set a precedent for how authorities handle politically motivated boycotts in commercial settings.
