http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/30/nyregion/rep-michael-grimm- threat-ny1-reporter.html?_r=0 WASHINGTON — Representative Michael G. Grimm of Staten Island, once considered a rising star in the Republican Party, touched off a political firestorm after delivering unusually vitriolic threats against a reporter inside the United States Capitol building on Tuesday night, just moments after the State of the Union speech.

Mr. Grimm apologized to the reporter on Wednesday and also issued a statement expressing regret, but the damage to Mr. Grimm’s reputation appeared to already have been severe, as his threats became the subject of widespread denunciation and mockery.

Mr. Grimm, who was first elected with the help of Tea Party support, has been entangled in controversy involving a continuing federal investigation into his campaign fund-raising, including assertions by several contributors that Mr. Grimm or his chief fund-raiser told them that his campaign would find ways to get around the legal limit on donations.

And on Tuesday night, Mr. Grimm became enraged after the reporter, Michael Scotto of NY1, asked him about the investigation. His threats inside the United States Capitol were captured on video that quickly rocketed around the Internet.

Mr. Grimm became upset and stormed off when Mr. Scotto raised the subject of the investigation into his campaign finances, but he then charged back and laced into Mr. Scotto.

Although Mr. Scotto had finished the segment, the camera continued to roll and Mr. Grimm can be seen getting directly in the face of an obviously stunned Mr. Scotto.

“What?” Mr. Scotto said. Before he could explain that he was just trying to ask him a question, Mr. Grimm became unhinged.