State House leadership removed a delegate from a powerful committee position Friday weeks after a fraught 911 call from his home was leaked.

Brandon Steele, a Republican from Raleigh County, was given one of the most powerful positions in the House of Delegates, when he was named Judiciary chair earlier this month.

However, hours before that assignment, an anonymous 911 call was emailed to House Speaker Robert Hanshaw, other house leadership, and various media outlets.

Steele's wife made the 911 call in late December. She called from the bathroom with her three young children. In the call, Steele's wife said the delegate was outside the house with a rifle.

On Friday, Speaker Hanshaw announced that Steele is being removed from that assignment. The Judiciary Chair position will instead be filled by J.B. Akers, a Republican from Kanawha County.

"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 J.B. 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 in a statement.

Steele was absent from the swearing in ceremony on January 8. A representative from the House of Delegates said Steele went to the Capitol to take the oath of office a few days later. As far as Steele's overall membership on the judiciary committee, the representative said that decisions are still being made about committee assignments.