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La Colombe founder sends coffee to help White House press cover Trump

WASHINGTON -- One local businessman wants to help the White House press corps stay woke -- literally.

Todd Carmichael, co-founder of the booming Philly coffee chain La Colombe, last week sent a shipment of coffee to the White House press corps, hoping it helps them pursue the truth as they cover the Trump administration.

"I realized it's a small gesture, but it's what I do," Carmichael said Monday.

His contribution -- a bundle of his Corsica, Fishtown and Louisiane blends -- comes on the heels of the actor Tom Hanks' sending White House reporters an espresso machine (his third such gift) this month, with a note to "keep up the good fight for Truth, Justice, and the American Way. Especially for the Truth part."

Carmichael attached his own letter.

"I second Mr. Hanks' note. This coffee should do the trick. Keep fighting for the truth," it read.

Several coffee makers have sent similar gifts since the espresso maker arrived.

Carmichael described himself as a progressive who has "always been a [news] junkie," and he said that since President Trump's election, "I think we need the press now more than ever."

As the father of four children adopted from Ethiopia, and the business partner of French and Turkish immigrants, he is particularly concerned with the president's stance on immigration, Carmichael said.

He said he saw reports of Hanks' gift, but noticed there was no coffee given with it.

"I thought, 'How far is that going to go?'" he said, so he sent a package of his own. And, if needed, "I'm just going to go continue sending it and keep these people awake."

Carmichael, a Montgomery County resident who co-founded La Colombe in 1993 and has expanded it to 23 cafes and locations in New York, Boston, Chicago, and Washington, said he was not worried about any backlash from Trump supporters. He said he voted for Trump's Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.

"I'm first a citizen, and then I'm a coffee man, but 'citizen' trumps everything for me," he said. "First I do my duties as a citizen, and if I see something that doesn't reconcile with just basic decency, I need to stand up."

You can follow Tamari on Twitter or email him at jtamari@phillynews.com.