Operation Separation continues for Lieutenant Governor John Sanchez, although you have to wonder why he performs these operations deep in the dark news hole of late Friday afternoons. In any event. .. .

The GOP Light Guv was at it again on Facebook Friday, this time playing up his pro-life stance and appealing to a wing of the GOP that has given plenty of headaches to Gov. Martinez and ABQ Mayor Richard Berry who is a presumed GOP gubernatorial primary foe for Sanchez in 2018. Wrote Sanchez:

Recent news of a Congressional investigation into the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center's (UNMHSC) relationship with Southwestern Women's Options Clinic and Dr. Curtis Boyd is troubling and alarming. The investigation has apparently revealed that the University, through this relationship, is participating in the harvesting and testing of infant body parts. I have been clear about my opposition to the harvesting of infant organs by Planned Parenthood and am even more appalled to learn that it could occur right here in conjunction with the University of New Mexico. The practice is both barbaric and unethical, and I certainly expect better from UNMHSC and its leaders.

UNM's Health Sciences Center, reacting to Sanchez, denies claims it bought or sold fetal tissue.

The anti-abortion forces are a major player in the GOP nominating process and a major weakness for Berry that Sanchez is now exploiting. The pro-life wing has battered Berry for not being in front of their cause.

This is Sanchez's second verse of Operation Separation. He earlier broke with the Governor when he wrote on Facebook of his concerns over the UNM Regents power grab at UNM Health Sciences.

Still, concerns remain about Sanchez in the anti-Berry faction of the GOP.  Sanchez ran aground when he ran for the 2012 US Senate nomination against Heather Wilson and had to pull the plug early on that campaign, and he lost the Guv race in 2002 to Bill Richardson. His two elections as light guv were on the coattails of the then-popular Martinez.

Sanchez is well aware that his old foe and Martinez chief political adviser Jay McCleskey will be in Berry's corner and will bring Martinez along. His Operation Separation comes none too soon.

EASY ON INNOVATE

A reader writes of the economic development project spearheaded by UNM and known as Innovate ABQ:

Joe, don’t beat up on the new Innovate ABQ facility too much. I personally believe this development (and those that will follow) will lead to a strong new area of economic growth. And it is, after all, the only meaningful public effort being made to improve our economic standing. I’ve been involved in the effort to encourage technology-based economic development since the 1980s because it’s one of the few things we can really be good at in NM.cTo me, this is a dream come true.

A dream come true or a pipedream? To be determined.

AND THE WINNER IS. . . 

Mayor Berry and UNM's Frank

The photo caption contest always provides some chuckles around here. Let's check out some that were submitted for our Friday contest and find out the winner.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2016