[continued]-- the degree to which a candidate's campaign can work with an independent group for a commercial is limited. The rules are set on content and conduct for any political commercial. Content rules can apply to the use of a candidate's name, for instance, while conduct is determined by what role the candidate had, if any, in planning the production of the commercial.

The last run date of the ad came less than 30 days before the June 3 Democratic primary in California where Pelosi faces a primary challenge.

Judicial Watch will file a complaint to the Federal Election Commission about the commercial, said Tom Fitton, president of the conservative watchdog group. He said that even if the ad was not intended to skirt campaign finance laws, it resulted in skirting those laws.

"Those who are in this business ought to know what the rules are," Fitton told Cybercast News Service . "It's a major issue to have candidates appearing in ads for any reason."