Harmeet K. Dhillon, the head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, said on Monday, June 22, 2026, that she had directed the inquiry after Poetica Coffee posted online that Goldman was not welcome in its shops.
“These actions are not only reprehensible, they’re potentially illegal,” Dhillon wrote on X.
“The Civil Rights Division has opened an investigation, and will bring an enforcement action if warranted.”
Poetica Coffee, a small Uzbek-inspired chain with branches in Brooklyn and the East Village, made the comments after Goldman visited one of its Brooklyn locations with his daughter.
“We see that you stopped by our shop today for a coffee,” the company wrote on Facebook and Instagram, in posts that included a photograph of Goldman at its Lorimer Street branch.
“Do you see how it doesn’t taste like genocide juice? Or are you still having a hard time telling the difference?
“See, here at Poetica, we don’t serve racists, fascists, homophobes, genocide enablers, or anyone in between,” the company added.
“Too bad we didn’t recognize you right away, or we would have turned you away.”
The company said it had refunded the $9.82 Goldman spent at the cafe and told him not to return.
Poetica Coffee and its founder, Parviz Mukhamadkulov, did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Al Jazeera.
Goldman Criticises Post but Questions Inquiry
Goldman, a New York congressman, criticised the coffee chain’s conduct in an interview with CNN but said he did not think the Justice Department should devote resources to investigating the incident.
“We’ve lost, I think, some perspective on decorum and appropriateness and just decency and conversation,” Goldman said.
“I would rather they spend their time and resources investigating anti-Semitism against people who do not have a platform that I do, who are not elected officials,” he added.
Goldman is a prominent supporter of Israel within the Democratic Party and has described himself as a “proud Zionist and steadfast supporter” of the country.
He is facing a primary challenge from Brad Lander, a critic of Israel. During the current election cycle, Goldman received nearly $195,000 from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and affiliated groups.
Goldman has denied that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, though he has described conditions in the enclave as “horrific” and called for an end to the war.
He has also criticised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, describing his government as “extremist” and opposing settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank.
Legal Basis Not Immediately Clear
The Justice Department did not immediately specify the legal basis on which it might bring an enforcement action against Poetica Coffee.
Federal and New York state laws prohibit businesses that serve the public from discriminating against customers on grounds including race, religion, sex and national origin. Political belief and ideology are not protected in the same way under those laws.
Dhillon, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, said the Civil Rights Division would pursue enforcement if the investigation warranted it.
