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MESA — Two men who helped make a television ad for Republican attorney general candidate Bill Montgomery filed documents swearing they did not knowingly hire illegal immigrants for the filming.

The affidavits were filed Wednesday with the Arizona Clean Elections Commission as part of Montgomery's response to a complaint by Democratic Attorney General Terry Goddard's campaign.

Goddard's complaint accuses Montgomery of using Clean Elections primary funding to produce the commercial for use in the general election. The commercial in question was filmed on Sept. 12, the day of the primary election.

Montgomery's response said the contract for the commercial was signed and the airtime purchased on Aug. 15, but incorrectly entered as Sept. 12 transactions. He said it was reasonable to believe that primary- election campaign purchases would be used after primary day.

Goddard's complaint with the commission asked that Montgomery be forced to surrender about $73,000 in public financing for the general election to make up for allegedly illegal spending of his primary-election public funding. That's roughly half of his general election campaign war chest.

The illegal immigrant issue was raised in a report by a Gilbert park ranger who came across the shooting of the Montgomery campaign video at a town park.

Montgomery has acknowledged that the ad focused on illegal immigration. A second witness said the men were apparently illegal immigrants and were filmed being frisked by police officers.

The ranger's report stated that a video crew member told the worker that Hispanic men participating in the video shoot were illegal immigrants who were being paid for their services.

Producer Gilman Wood and cameraman Arthur Gardner, both of New Jersey, denied the park ranger's claim. Their sworn statements said they did not discuss the immigration status of the extras hired for the filming.

A main part of Montgomery's campaign platform is a tough stance on illegal immigration, so any use of illegal workers in his commercials could be politically damaging.

Separately, the use of a Gilbert police car for the filming also is being questioned. Mayor Steve Berman arranged for its use at the park, which is next to the town's vehicle-maintenance yard.

State law prohibits a city or town from using personnel, equipment or other resources to influence the outcomes of elections.

Town Manager George Pettit said the car should not have been used, but there won't be any consequences. He called it a "lesson learned."