Photo Courtesy/WV Legislative Photography Del. Brandon Steele will no long be the incoming chairman of the newly revamped House Standing Committee on the Judiciary following the release of 911 tapes and a police report detailing a drunken incident outside his home the day before Christmas Eve.

CHARLESTON –After being appointed as the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee earlier this month, Del. Brandon Steele was removed from that role Friday following details of a pre-Christmas Eve 911 call by Steele’s wife reporting him for drunken behavior and brandishing firearms.

In a statement Friday afternoon, House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, announced that Steele, R-Raleigh, would no longer chair the House Standing Committee on the Judiciary. Instead, vice chairman JB Akers, R-Kanawha, will become chairman with Del. Jordan Maynor, R-Raleigh, becoming the new vice chairman.

“After recent conversation with Delegate Brandon Steele and in recognition of his need to spend more time focused on matters outside the Capitol building, I’m pleased to name Delegate JB Akers as our Standing Judiciary Committee Chairman for the 87th Legislature while Delegate Jordan Maynor will ably step into the Vice Chairman position,” Hanshaw said. “Delegate Akers has acclimated quickly to the legislative process and has shown a thoughtful approach to consensus-building that will serve us well.”

Akers, a Charleston attorney and husband of Kanawha County Circuit Court Judge Maryclaire Akers, was first elected to the House in 2022 and reelected in November. Maynor, first appointed to the House by previous governor Jim Justice in 2021, is the owner and CEO of Maynor Consulting in Beaver.

Hanshaw appointed Steele to chair the House Standing Judiciary Committee at the beginning of January after announcing the reorganization of several committees. The House Standing Judiciary Committee includes the Courts Subcommittee, the Homeland Security Subcommittee, and the Legal Services Subcommittee.

The day before the organizational session of the House on Jan. 8, an anonymous source provided two 911 tapes from Brianne Steele, wife of Del. Steele, from a Dec. 23 incident where Del. Steele was reported to be drunk and brandishing weapons outside their Mabscott home.

According to an incident report by the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, deputies responded to Del. Steele’s home on a report of a “intoxicated person” who was outside screaming, claiming someone was driving past his home, and armed with rifles. When deputies arrived, they found Del. Steele with two AR-15 style rifles on his couch.

“Brandon…stated that he has had some recent issues with possible threats toward him regarding trials that he is working on,” wrote Deputy T.S. Gore. “Brandon stated that he observed a vehicle driving slowly past his home and he then exited his home with one of the rifles and approached the vehicle. Brandon stated that the occupants of the vehicle stated that they were looking at Christmas lights in the neighborhood.”

Brianne Steele made two 911 calls that night regarding Del. Steele’s behavior. She told deputies that Del. Steele “is extremely paranoid” and “a severe alcoholic.” No charges were brought, with Brianne Steele leaving that night with her children “to allow Brandon to sober up.”

In the days since the 911 tapes and police report were released, both Del. Steele and Brianne Steele have talked with media, with Del. Steele saying he regrets his actions that night but also say media have blown the incident out of proportion.