by Jake Goldstein-Street, Washington State Standard
July 6, 2026
A member of Washington’s Human Rights Commission has resigned after coming under fire for allegations of antisemitism over comments he made in a commission meeting.
Spokane pastor Luc Jasmin made the remarks during a March 2025 discussion of a resolution the commission was considering to condemn anti-semitism. He said that Jewish people are “always crying” and questioned if the commission was “under duress” to approve the resolution.
“I don’t have anything against the Jewish community, but knowing the Jewish community, it’s an open door for them to now continue to demand,” Jasmin added.
He also said other groups are subject to mistreatment, including at the hands of Jews.
Jasmin’s fellow commissioners pushed back in the meeting.
“In this time, it’s especially important given the social climate that we take a strong stance on making sure that the Jewish community is being supported,” said commissioner Han Tran, who has drawn criticism of her own for anti-Israel rhetoric.
Jasmin drew swift backlash last month after the commission posted a video of the meeting on YouTube over a year later.
In his resignation letter Wednesday, Jasmin apologized for his remarks, but said he was resigning “because I feel that is what is being demanded of me, not because I believe it is right.”
“A year ago, I made remarks during a resolution discussion that were poorly worded and caused real harm to members of the Jewish community. I take full accountability for that pain. I am deeply sorry,” he wrote.
Jasmin, who then-Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, appointed in 2023, said he’s faced threats in the wake of the comments.
“This feels like retribution,” he wrote. “The goal appears to be punishment, not understanding. Removal, not unity. I am stepping down to appease those who want me gone. I am asking those who believe in resolution truly to reach out.”
Jasmin continued to write that he wants to sit down with those his words harmed and repair that relationship: “The goal is to get rid of hatred, antisemitism, racism, and all that divides us.”
His term was set to run through part of 2028.
The state Human Rights Commission enforces anti-discrimination law. The agency is charged with reviewing discrimination allegations, resolving disputes and educating the public about their rights and responsibilities.
Gov. Bob Ferguson said he’d be appointing a replacement for Jasmin soon, and encouraged those interested in the position to apply.
State Rep. Travis Couture, R-Allyn, said he hopes the new commissioner “takes into account the rights of everybody.”
Couture was among those criticizing Jasmin for his comments in recent weeks.
“For me, it’s pretty simple: The Human Rights Commission is supposed to combat bigotry, not espouse it,” he said. “And so I’m glad he’s resigned.”
The Human Rights Commission passed the non-binding resolution in April 2025. The resolution notes criticism of the Israeli government, anti-Zionism or support of Palestinian rights doesn’t necessarily constitute antisemitism. The commission previously approved a resolution to show solidarity with the Palestinian, Arab-American and Muslim communities in 2024.
Antisemitism has been on the rise in the United States. The Anti-Defamation League reported an average of 17 assault, harassment and vandalism incidents against American Jews per day in 2025. This was a decrease from record highs in 2023 and 2024.
‘It burned me to my core’
Jeff Sbaih was chair of the commission when Jasmin made the remarks.
Sbaih’s parents are Palestinian. They instilled in him the principle that he should respect people of all faiths. He couldn’t believe Jasmin’s comments.
“It’s unfortunate and frankly disgusting that in a body where we’re supposed to be getting rid of this, that these comments are made,” Sbaih, an attorney who no longer sits on the commission, said in an interview. “It burned me to my core to hear it.”
The Northwest office of StandWithUs, a pro-Israel advocacy organization, led a campaign to push residents to call on Ferguson, who is a Democrat, to remove Jasmin from the commission.
Executive Director Randy Kessler welcomed Jasmin’s resignation, saying in a statement that his comments “demonstrate a disturbing lack of sensitivity and have no place on any human rights body.”
“Telling Jews to stop ‘crying’ about antisemitism while sitting on a commission tasked with protecting civil rights is not only offensive — it is dangerous,” Kessler added.
Regina Sassoon Friedland, regional director of the American Jewish Committee, said she hopes this is an opportunity for the commission “to reaffirm its commitment to serving communities with fairness, impartiality, and respect.”
Jasmin has led the Haitian congregation at Eglise Evangelique Maranatha Jasmin Ministries in Spokane. He also founded the Spokane Ministerial Fellowship, focused on aiding Black congregations, according to a biography on the business and nonprofit consulting firm he leads.
Jasmin’s son, Luc Jasmin III, works as the eastern Washington outreach representative for Ferguson. He is also running as a Democrat for state House to represent Spokane and replace retiring Democratic Rep. Timm Ormsby.
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