Incoming House Judiciary Chair Absent On Opening Day After Wife’s 911 Call

Two days before Christmas, the wife of Del. Brandon Steele, R-Raleigh, hid in the bathroom with her three children and dialed 911.

Once the call connected, she said in the now leaked call that Steele was outside intoxicated, agitated and brandishing a rifle. The operator asked if she and her children were safe. “I don’t know,” she replied.

The operator then asked if she and the kids could escape from one of the windows. After some thought, she said they could not because they were on the second floor. She’s heard comforting her children, and asking them to try and be silent repeatedly throughout the call. 

When contacted, Steele’s wife requested not to be mentioned by name by West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Brandon Steele is a well-known attorney in Raleigh County representing a local prosecutor in a high-profile misconduct and domestic violence case. 

He also serves as a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates and was recently named chair of the House Judiciary Committee — one of the most powerful positions in the West Virginia Legislature.

A recording of the 911 call from Steele’s wife was leaked to members of the media and House leadership in an anonymous email Tuesday.

WVPB has independently verified the recording, which was released hours before House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, announced Steele’s judiciary chair assignment.

During the opening day of the 2025 legislative session, one day after the audio was released, Steele was notably absent from the State Capitol and missed his swearing-in ceremony. Just six other delegates were absent in the 99-member chamber. The seat previously occupied by Joseph De Soto was vacated by the House Wednesday as he faces allegations of making terroristic threats against fellow lawmakers.

The incident began when passersby allegedly stalled outside Steele’s home, which he perceived as harassment from locals angry over “the prosecutor” case he was working on, his wife said in the call. The car’s occupants allegedly told Steele that they were just looking at Christmas lights. 

Steele allegedly grabbed two rifles from a wall and headed outside. Meanwhile, his wife said in the call that she locked the doors, grabbed a gun and instructed her son to call 911.  When the operator said police were on the way, his wife asked that she not be identified as the caller. 

This is not Steele’s first accusation of aggressive conduct. 

During the 2020 legislative session, then-Del. Eric Porterfield accused Steele of aggressively confronting him over a disagreement on a bill.

Porterfield, who is blind, said he could smell alcohol on Steele at the time of the confrontation. Porterfield later voiced frustration over perceived inaction over the incident from House leadership, including Hanshaw.

Steele has not responded to multiple requests for comment by West Virginia Public Broadcasting. The Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department also did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

In response to a request for comment by House Leadership, a media representative from the House told WVPB that Hanshaw became aware of the situation late on Tuesday and had not spoken with Steele.