Del. Brandon Steele, R-Raleigh, will no longer serve as chair of the House Judiciary Committee this session, according to a statement released Friday by House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay.

Del. J.B. Akers, R-Kanawha, who was announced earlier this month to be the vice chair, will now chair the major committee while Del. Jordan Maynor, R-Raleigh, will serve as vice chair.

“Del. Akers has acclimated quickly to the legislative process and has shown a thoughtful approach to consensus-building that will serve us well,” Hanshaw said in an emailed statement.

Hanshaw said his decision followed a “recent conversation” with Steele, who recognized he needed to “spend more time focused on matters outside the Capitol building,” according to Hanshaw’s statement.

Notably, the changeup comes after recordings of 911 calls placed in December by Steele’s wife were sent to media and legislative leadership on Jan. 7 — the same day Steele was named to head the Judiciary Committee. The Judiciary Committee can be tasked with vetting bills impacting the criminal justice system, including penalties for domestic violence.

In those 911 calls, Brianne Steele told a 911 operator that her husband, Brandon Steele, was drunkenly handling assault rifles and screaming at people in their neighborhood on Dec. 23.

She said he was “extremely agitated and very, very drunk” and that their three children, who were home at the time of the incident, were “terrified.” 

According to a police report from the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, officers arrived at Steele’s residence following Brianne Steele’s second call. No arrests were made. 

Brandon Steele, a lawyer by trade, told police that he was worried about “possible threats regarding trials that he is working” and admitted that he did approach two vehicles driving in front of their house while carrying AR-15 style rifles. The occupants in the first vehicle said they were looking at Christmas lights while those in the second quickly drove away, Brandon Steele told police.

Brianne Steele said she didn’t see any cars in front of their home that night. She did see her husband walk in and out of the house while carrying the guns and “screaming.” She told law enforcement that she believed her husband to be “extremely paranoid” and a “severe alcoholic,” though at no time did he threaten her or the children.

When asked about the incident — which has been verified through both a police report and recordings of two individual 911 calls — Brandon Steele told West Virginia Watch that the “rumors being spread” around it were “vicious and disheartening.”

In a joint interview with MetroNews, both Brianne and Brandon Steele spoke about the events on Dec. 23, 2024, where they agreed that Brandon’s behavior was poor but noted that he was not arrested for his actions.

“As much as I regret the 23rd, I wasn’t arrested. I wasn’t charged with anything. This getting spun into some domestic incident — that didn’t happen,” Brandon Steele said. “I felt threatened and approached a threat. Did I do it in the best way? Absolutely not. I really wish I could take that back, but I can’t. I’ve got to own it.”

The 2025 regular legislative session will start Feb. 12.

The legacy of Jerry West inspired Steve and Connie Ballmer to donate $5 million to WVU. The funds will be used to support completion grants for students at risk of leaving the University because of financial challenges and the Jerry West Scholarship, which has been awarded to West Virginia natives attending WVU since 1971.
(WVU Photo)

Call it a slam dunk: West Virginia University is scoring new opportunities for students to pursue and complete their degrees with a $5 million gift honoring late Mountaineer great Jerry West.

Steve Ballmer, chairman of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers, and his wife, Connie, made the gift as a tribute to West following his passing on June 12, 2024. The announcement coincides with Jerry West Day, a celebration of West’s memory and legacy at the WVU men’s basketball game Saturday (Jan. 18) versus Iowa State.

Half of the Ballmer family’s gift establishes a new fund in West’s name to support completion grants, which provide monetary assistance for WVU students at risk of leaving the University due to financial challenges. The goal is to encourage students to remain in school and complete their degrees.

The remaining funds will bolster the Jerry West Scholarship, which goes to undergraduate students from West Virginia with demonstrated financial need. First awarded in 1971, the scholarship has enabled generations of Mountain State natives to graduate from WVU.

“This generous gift from Steve and Connie Ballmer ensures that future generations of West Virginia University students will have the opportunity to explore their passions, discover their purpose and achieve their own success, just as Jerry West did,” WVU President Gordon Gee said. “It not only preserves a remarkable legacy but will also empower the next wave of leaders to chart their own paths, grounded in the values of determination, excellence and service that West exemplified throughout his life.”

West and his wife, Karen, contributed generously to the University during his lifetime, supporting scholarships, athletics, academics, health care and more to benefit his home state and its residents. He also shared his expertise to benefit WVU, offering advice and counsel to athletics leadership as needed.

“I have no doubt Jerry West would be thrilled by this meaningful gift to his alma mater,” Cindi Roth, president and CEO of the WVU Foundation, said. “His intellect, strength and character were defined by his West Virginia roots, and he was deeply committed to creating opportunities for Mountaineers to succeed. We appreciate this thoughtful gift from the Ballmer family to build upon Jerry West’s legacy at WVU.”

Known as “The Logo” for inspiring the iconic silhouette of the NBA logo, West is universally regarded as one of basketball’s all-time greats. Last fall, he became the first three-time inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame — as a player, executive and contributor.

West cultivated his basketball skills growing up in Chelyan, a small town in Kanawha County, and led the Mountaineers to historic success in the 1950s. WVU won 81 of 93 games while West was in the lineup and came within two points of winning a national championship in 1959.

Taken in the first round of the 1960 NBA draft by the Lakers (No. 2 overall), West spent 14 seasons in Los Angeles and racked up virtually every league honor before he retired in 1974. Following his playing career, he excelled as one of the NBA’s top executives. He served as general manager and president of the Lakers, helping them to earn six NBA titles over 18 years, and general manager of the Memphis Grizzlies.

“Jerry West’s legacy will live on in the hearts of West Virginians forever, and it’s generous gifts like this from Steve and Connie Ballmer that will not only honor Jerry but touch the lives of WVU students for years to come,” WVU Vice President and Director of Athletics Wren Baker said. “In the times that I got to speak with Jerry, I quickly realized why he was so respected and revered around the country. Much appreciation goes to the Ballmers, not only for this gift, but for their friendship with Jerry and in helping WVU preserve his legacy.”

Post-retirement, West provided pivotal guidance to the Golden State Warriors and later the LA Clippers as a consultant and executive board member. His work with the Clippers began in 2017 and continued until his death.

Ballmer purchased the LA Clippers in 2014, after retiring as CEO of Microsoft. He has described West as “a confidant, an advisor and a friend” who enriched his life personally and professionally.

“When we talked about this gift, we wanted to focus on those students who need a little extra assistance in school because of difficulties they’ve experienced in life,” Steve Ballmer said. “This made so much sense to me because it got to Jerry’s real spirit of wanting to help those people who may not have been blessed in the same way he was.”

Together, Steve and Connie co-founded Ballmer Group Philanthropy, which funds organizations and leaders to expand economic opportunity and reduce systemic inequities in America.

The Ballmer gift was made through the WVU Foundation, the nonprofit organization that receives and administers private donations on behalf of the University.

-WVU-

cr/01/17/25

MEDIA CONTACT: Cassie Rice
Director of Strategic Communications
WVU Foundation
304-554-0217; crice@wvuf.org

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Sen. Jim Justice, who promised rocket ship rides and boasted big budget surpluses, has left the new Gov. Patrick Morrisey with a problem: a projected $400 million deficit beginning next year.

Morrisey, who is in his first week on the job, said that the deficit was what his administration had found as of this week.

“We’re talking about what we’ve inherited. It’s not factoring in any new spending priorities or any proposed additional tax cuts,” he said Thursday at the state Capitol in Charleston, West Virginia.

“These problems weren’t created overnight,” he continued. “ … I can tell you that we do believe that there are significant structural problems with the budget, and I’m committed to fixing it.”

The Republican, who campaigned on ending big government spending, said the projected deficit doesn’t mean his administration won’t be able to offer another tax cut to residents or pay raises to teachers. He said they’re still a possibility his administration will address rising health care costs impacting the Public Employees Insurance Agency. 

“I’ve been very clear that I want West Virginia to be even more competitive with all the states that we touch,” Morrisey said. “But we’re going to have to look at this, and it’s going to take a while for anyone to go through this … I know that I remain very optimistic despite a lot of the big spending that’s occurred.”

Morrisey declined to put the blame specifically on Justice, saying, “I’m not going to talk about any individuals.” Justice, a Republican, was sworn into the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, forgoing the first 10 days of his Senate term.

Justice faced a $500 million budget deficit when he took office as governor in 2017.

He consistently commented on his work turning around the state’s financial situation, and he regularly touted his multi-million dollar surpluses. Justice was adamant that lawmakers keep a flat budget. Meanwhile, state health leaders said they needed nearly $300 million to address pressing issues in West Virginia, like the substance abuse crisis. Education leaders said they needed $258 million to implement necessary school safety measures amid a national rise in school violence. 

Last month, Justice told the Parkersburg News and Sentinel, “For all I know, we do not have a hole for [fiscal year] 2026 at all … the next budget will surely depend on decisions that are made by the next folks that come in and the Legislature and on and on and on.” 

This year’s budget bill, passed by the House and Senate on the last night of the 2024 regular legislative session, set the general revenue budget for the current fiscal year at roughly $4.9 billion, 5% less than Justice’s introduced version of $5.3 billion. 

Morrisey said on Tuesday that there had been “a lot of spending” in the last few months under Justice, adding that he would be “analyzing that rocket ship ride.” His administration will review a number of recent economic announcements under Justice, and non finalized contracts could be eliminated as he seeks to save money.

“The era of big spending is over. It’s over. In West Virginia, the time for spending beyond our means is over,” Morrisey said. 

Already taking steps to address spending 

Morrisey said that he expects the state to meet budget goals this year through June 30, the end of the current fiscal year. The shortfall in this year’s budget is temporarily being replaced by a one-time provider tax cash balance, he said.

He emphasized that he already began cutting costs, including an executive order issued on Tuesday that eliminated any state dollars tied to diversity initiatives. Another executive order requires state agencies to make a plan for more efficient spending.

In an effort to save money, Morrisey said that he will work with the Legislature to consolidate the existing Department of Economic Development with the Department of Commerce and to consolidate the existing Department of Arts, Culture and History with the Department of Tourism. The considerations are “an initial step toward making state government more efficient and effective,” according to Morrisey. 

He was unable to offer specifics about any potential job cuts in an effort to save money.

Despite the budget hole, Morrisey will push his tax cut in collaboration with the Legislature. 

“I do believe that West Virginia needs to continue to emphasize a reduction in taxes to become the lowest in the region,” he said. 

Morrisey will present his proposed budget to lawmakers when the regular 60-day legislative session begins next month. 

“We will continue to try to garner every efficiency out of state government, because our taxpayers deserve nothing less,” he said.