The lawmaker who initiated the move to impeach Robert Bentley said he believes Alabama's governor will soon step down.

In an interview with WTVY, Rep. Ed Henry, R-Hartselle, said if the House moves on Articles of Impeachment, Bentley would be suspended pending the outcome of a Senate trial. To avoid impeachment, Henry added, Bentley would likely resign no later than next month.

"From what I'm hearing I would expect by mid-April that the governor either will have resigned or the impeachment committee will be moving at a very rapid pace," Henry said.

If Bentley steps down, Henry added, he expects the Alabama Ethics Commission to pursue criminal charges against the governor for the alleged misuse of state property in connection to his relationship with former adviser Rebekah Caldwell Mason.

Henry did not respond to AL.com's request for comment.

Bentley denies he misused state property and while he admitted making inappropriate comments to Mason, who is married, he denies a sexual affair. Last week, Bentley's office responded to rumors the governor would resign.

"Gov. Bentley takes very seriously his call to serve as Alabama's 53rd Governor, and considers it the greatest honor of his life. He has plans only to continue to serve the people of this state, and as he stated so clearly in his 2017 State of the State address, to "finish the race," spokesperson Yasamie August said in a statement to AL.com.

Bentley is believed to be the target of several investigations, including inquiries by the Attorney General's Office and the House Judiciary Committee and is the subject of several Ethics Complaints.

Earlier this month, the House Judiciary Committee met to address what is described a "procedural question" related to a possible Bentley impeachment. It was the first action by the committee since its work was placed on hold late last year when then-Attorney General, now U.S. Senator, Luther Strange, said his office was conducing "related work."

Committee Chairman Mike Jones said he expects the investigation to be concluded by late May.