A New York coffee shop said in an Instagram post that Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., should never return to the establishment because of his pro-Israel views.
The post came just ahead of Tuesday’s primary elections in New York, where Goldman faces a challenge from former city Comptroller Brad Lander in one of the most notable primary races in the state.
Both candidates are Jewish, and Goldman has been endorsed by pro-Israel lobbying groups J Street and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, while Lander is being backed by progressives like New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.
In the harshly worded post, Poetica Coffee alluded to Goldman’s stance in support of Israel, which has been strongly criticized by progressives like Lander and human rights groups over the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, and mentioned genocide and AIPAC.
“Do you see how it doesn’t taste like genocide juice?” the coffee shop’s post said, accompanied by what appeared to be a surveillance image of Goldman looking at his phone while at the register.
“See, here at Poetica, we don’t serve racists, fascists, homophobes, genocide enablers, or anyone in between,” the post continued, according to screenshots that circulated on social media and were reported by several news outlets. “Too bad we didn’t recognize you right away, or we would have turned you away.”
The post said that the shop had issued Goldman a refund, saying the money was “probably coming from AIPAC anyways.”
“Enjoy your loss on Tuesday,” the post said. “Don’t ever come to Poetica.”
Goldman wrote in response that he was “sorry to see this post,” adding that the barista “could not have been nicer to my 7-yr-old daughter and me” because they allowed her to use the bathroom without making a purchase first.
“I made sure to buy a coffee in return for her kindness,” he added. “I hope you at least make sure she gets the tip that she deserved.”
Reached for comment, a spokesperson for Goldman’s campaign pointed to the congressman’s post.
Poetica Coffee and its founder, Parviz Mukhamadkulov, were unable to be reached for comment. The coffee shop’s Instagram account appears to have since been deactivated.
On its website, the Poetica Coffee says that it goes by the credo that “whoever walks through the door is treated with unconditional dignity.”
Goldman has has said he does not take corporate PAC money, including from AIPAC. Donor disclosures, however, show that he does receive money from individuals through the lobbying group.
In an interview on CNN, the congressman said it was “crazy” to be accused of supporting genocide by someone who did not know him, adding that “what is going on in the Middle East is horrific.”
“Now, I may disagree as to whether or not there’s a genocide, but come on, we’re better than this, and we need to be better than this,” he said during the interview.
The Justice Department’s assistant attorney general for civil rights, Harmeet Dhillon, said in an X post that Poetica’s actions were “potentially illegal.” She added that the DOJ’s civil rights division had opened an investigation and “will bring an enforcement action if warranted.”
Asked in the CNN interview whether he believes the DOJ should open an investigation, Goldman said no.
“No, I would rather they spend their time and resources investigating antisemitism against people who do not have a platform that I do, who are not elected officials, who do not, in some ways, ask for this,” he said. “I mean, I don’t ask for the antisemitism, but I’m a public figure, and I can accept the criticism.”
