‘He Didn’t Answer’: NJ Democrat Slams Mamdani Over Response to Coffee Shop Controversy

Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) for his limp response to the controversy over the local coffee shop that banned Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) for his pro-Israel views during an interview on Fox News on Wednesday morning.

America’s Newsroom host co-host Dana Perino asked Gottheimer what he thought about Mamdani’s answer after the show played a clip of the mayor saying he had “many” disagreements with Goldman about Israel, but that “What we saw online goes beyond that.”

Gottheimer wasn’t a fan of that response.

“He didn’t answer that, right?” Gottheimer said.

Perino agreed, saying “No, he blew it off. That means he is okay with it.”

“Imagine that happened to somebody because they were gay or African-American or something else, we would rightly be outraged,” Gottheimer continued.

He said he would be introducing new legislation on Wednesday titled the “No Grounds for Discrimination Act,” which he said will “remind” people that it is against the law to discriminate against people based on “who they are.”

“Some of my colleagues have forgotten how we should never stand for that or allow that in the Democrat or Republican Party,” Gottheimer added. “It’s totally unacceptable in our great country to treat people that way.”

His answer came a few days after Poetica coffee shop in NYC publicly lambasted Goldman on its Instagram account. The shop branded him a “genocide enabler” and said it was returning the $9.82 he spent; the post included a sneaky picture of Goldman inside the shop.

“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?” the post said in part. “Or are you still having a hard time telling the difference?”

Goldman went on CNN on Monday night and said the shop was “crazy” to accuse him of supporting a genocide.

He said Poetica’s rant against him was “quite surprising,” considering the nice interaction he had with the cashier. Goldman said the hijab-wearing woman “couldn’t have been nicer” and allowed his daughter to use the bathroom, which spurred him to buy a coffee and give her a “large tip.”

“I honestly was so grateful for her kindness,” Goldman said. He then said the shop’s Instagram post was “diametrically opposed” to the humanity she showed.

Washington Free Beacon reporter Jon Levine pointed out Poetica’s website celebrates its “radical hospitality,” and said its “door is open to everyone.” Everyone but Goldman and other Israel supporters, it appears.

Goldman’s rough week continued on Tuesday night, when he lost to Mamdani-backed challenger Brad Lander (D) in the Democratic primary.

Watch above via Fox News.

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