Federal Probe Launched After Brooklyn Cafe Claims It Refused Service To Pro-Israel Candidate Dan Goldman

Goldman was defeated in the New York Democratic primary on Tuesday by Brad Lander, a Jewish progressive and outspoken critic of Israel.

By Shula Rosen

The Justice Department has opened a civil rights investigation into a Brooklyn coffee shop after the business publicly stated it refunded Rep. Dan Goldman’s purchase and criticized him over his support for Israel, prompting federal scrutiny of whether anti-discrimination laws governing public accommodations were violated.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon announced the investigation Monday in a post on X.

“The Civil Rights Division has opened an investigation and will bring an enforcement action if warranted,” Dhillon wrote.

Dhillon said federal law bars public accommodations, including coffee shops, from discriminating against customers based on race, religion, or national origin.

The inquiry centers on Poetica, a cafe in Williamsburg, following a social media dispute that emerged after Goldman visited the business during a Democratic primary campaign stop. The cafe later deleted a post referencing the visit.

In the deleted message, the business wrote: “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 cafe also stated that it had returned the money Goldman spent at the shop without being asked to do so. In the same post, the business added: “We don’t need your money (it’s probably coming from AIPAC anyways,” referring to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

Goldman discussed the incident during an appearance on CNN with Laura Coates, describing what he said was a positive interaction inside the cafe.

The congressman said he entered the shop because his seven-year-old daughter needed to use the restroom. After a barista permitted her to do so, Goldman purchased a coffee and left what he described as a large tip.

“I had such a nice interaction with the barista in the coffee shop,” Goldman said.

“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 the incident reflected broader political divisions.

“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 continued.

Goldman was defeated in the New York Democratic primary on Tuesday by Brad Lander, a Jewish progressive and outspoken critic of Israel. Lander has pledged to oppose U.S. military aid to what he described as the “apartheid state” of Israel.