State Rep. Ed Henry, R-Hartselle, is moving to start impeachment against embattled Gov. Robert Bentley amid the scandal engulfing the governor's office surrounding his former senior political adviser, Rebekah Caldwell Mason. If the House impeaches Bentley, it would bring the governor one step closer to being removed from office by the legislature.

House Minority Leader Craig Ford, D-Gadsden, confirmed to AL.com that Henry was planning on bringing the articles of impeachment against the governor as early as next week. Henry could not immediately be reached for comment.

Ford said "over half" of the House is in favor of impeachment. A majority is needed to impeach the governor.

Bentley was publicly accused last week of having an affair with Mason, who resigned Monday as the governor's senior political adviser, by former Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Secretary Spencer Collier. Both Bentley and Mason denied the affair, but the governor admitted to using sexually inappropriate language in a conversation with Mason that was obtained by AL.com.

Ford said he didn't know what charges would be leveled against Bentley in the impeachment articles, but said the move is necessary because "the governor's lost the trust of the people of Alabama." He also said that the impeachment process gained credibility since it's being drafted by a Republican legislator.

"We support it. We look forward to working across party lines. We're encouraged to see that someone within the Republican Party was taking the lead in this endeavor," Ford told AL.com. "The governor's the Republican's poster child, so we were hoping they would police their own party."

However, Henry and Bentley are both Republicans who have frequently clashed over the past two years, including over the governor's proposal last year to raise taxes.

Bentley and Mason are also facing an investigation by the state Ethics Commission involving possible misuse of government property by Bentley and potential impropriety over how Mason was paid as senior legal adviser. She did not draw a state paycheck, instead receiving money from a social welfare nonprofit that advocates for the governor's agenda.

It's unclear whether state Attorney General Luther Strange has also launched a probe. His office said it does not comment on ongoing or potential investigations.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.