The New York Times has not one, but two stories this morning on lobbyist Jack Abramoff, both of which could have real ramifications for Republican House members. To begin, Philip Shenon writes that the Justice Department might soon begin to look at the lobbyist's dealings on the Northern Mariana Islands.

Criminal investigators at the Justice Department have been asked by a House committee to consider broadening their corruption investigation of a Washington lobbyist whose ties to Tom DeLay, the House Republican leader, and other prominent lawmakers are the subject of inquiries throughout the government, Congressional officials disclosed on Tuesday.

The request about the investigation of the lobbyist, Jack Abramoff, was made in a letter last week to Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales from the Republican chairman and the senior Democrat on the House Resources Committee.

The letter, dated June 30, cited a flurry of accusations of wrongdoing involving Mr. Abramoff's multimillion-dollar lobbying on behalf of the Northern Mariana Islands, a small American commonwealth in the Pacific, and said that "any allegations of criminal matters of this sort are best addressed to the Department of Justice."

[...]

The Resources Committee request could suggest new scrutiny for Mr. DeLay, because he worked closely with Mr. Abramoff for years to block Washington from imposing the federal minimum wage on large clothing factories in the Northern Marianas. Human rights groups have long criticized the factories, which employ mostly migrant Asian workers.

On a trip to the islands with Mr. Abramoff in 1997, Mr. DeLay told a meeting of local officials that the lobbyist was among "my closest and dearest friends" and promised to continue to defend the islands' interests in Congress. Mr. Abramoff's billing records show that he frequently met with Mr. DeLay and his top aides to discuss the Northern Marianas. In a 2001 e-mail message to the islands' general counsel, Mr. Abramoff described Mr. DeLay as "our biggest supporter on Capitol Hill."

Glen Justice has more on this ever-evolving scandal.

The lobbyist Jack Abramoff mixed business with business at Signatures, the upscale restaurant he opened here three years ago. Playing host at his private corner spot, Table 40, he courted Republican lawmakers and talked strategy with subordinates while eating rolls of sushi and firing commands to the staff on his BlackBerry.

[...]

Mr. Abramoff could patronize his own business - his meals were sometimes prepared in a special kosher kitchen - while billing clients thousands of dollars. And he could generate good will by offering free food and drink to guests including Representative Tom DeLay of Texas, now the majority leader, and other members of Congress, according to restaurant records and interviews with former employees.

For example, Mr. Abramoff wrote an e-mail message to three restaurant managers in May 2002, instructing them not to charge Mr. DeLay, his wife, Christine, and four others when they came in a week later.

"Table of 6," Mr. Abramoff wrote, "put it where I sit and remove that other table. Their meal is to be comped."

[...]

Mr. Abramoff was in the restaurant almost daily, often treating a table full of guests to hundreds of dollars worth of food, wine and liquor, financial records show. Over a 17-month period in 2002 and 2003, the restaurant gave away about $180,000 in food and drink, with Mr. Abramoff's tab roughly $65,000 for himself and his guests, the records say. About a dozen former employees and managers, including three who provided records, described Mr. Abramoff's activities at Signatures. Most would speak only on condition of anonymity because of the investigations. Several acknowledged that they had left on poor terms, while most said they simply moved on.

And the heat continues...